Bias
by BunnyEriful
Summary: #6. She's a splash of secret splendor and seduction. Plunge yourself in her abstract of lines—her tangles of vines. Be allured, be enticed... She's a queen of complication, a poisonous beauty hidden under the webs of pretensions.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All**recognizable characters belong to **Hiro Fujiwara's Kaichou-wa Maid-sama!**

**A/N: **For those readers who wasn't able to understand the sad ending of **ONE SIDED, **I present you **BIAS**—the sequel of Misaki and Usui's One-sided. Hope you enjoy this story because unlike One-sided, Bias will have unexpected serpentines and an old love story that was tested by fate, revenge and at the same time, prejudice.

-;-

**Bias**

**Is once again dedicated to:**

All my fanfiction readers

-;-

_Why must I meet you, why did you hurt me  
>I gave you my everything, why did you make me cry<br>I'll give you back the same amount of hurt that you gave me  
>do not call me a bad woman<br>I can't forgive_

_The cruel bond of love  
>I cannot stop it's not the way<br>Regret that comes at the end of love, _

_Finally leaves, but not hatred_

-;-

_At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled_. **~Marshall B. Rosenberg**

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**Bias – Pandemonium Princess**

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_Prologue: Two Years Ago:_

_Well, you know that feeling when all you can feel was the numbness of your fingers and whole body; when all your emotions ran away from you because of extreme fear, when the antagonists around you forced you to end everything because they are all afraid that their public reputations will be soiled, when the last emotions that linger inside your head was pure anger and hatred for those people who ruined you._

_Everything slip away from your finger like a sheet of paper, everything disappeared from you like bubbles on the air, the secret garden that was blooming inside your heart because you believed that you'll be living a new life without them became spoiled because of the conceitedness of those people you've associated yourself with._

_It was pure anger because you knew that you're dying and you weren't able to save the life you were carrying. You got played by destiny and all you've realized is that, in the end…those feelings are all one sided._

_You loved him in a one sided way and he ruptured all your innocent emotions for him. And for some reasons, you've felt disgusted because that same guy tainted you—he spoiled you and the only thing you want is pure revenge. You want to avenge yourself and the life that you were carrying that didn't even had the chance to see the sunshine of the world._

_It would have been better if that guy just left you all alone, you would've accepted that. Although you love him, you can live without him because you have someone that will remind him of you. You're contented with that incomplete life because he left you a wonderful reminder than can complete you instantly._

_But he didn't live up to your expectations. They ended you. And as the traitor ocean swallowed you whole, the last words that came out of your frozen lips were his name and the words of pure hatred._

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**One: **

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_**Two years later…**_

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Yeah, you got that feeling that somewhere deep inside your heart, you're missing something but in truth, it was someone that you were missing. It was the one sided love you had wasted your life with but it was never returned. You could be happy—you could be very happy. But do you know that feeling of laughing a cruel one to those people who once hurt you when they were down on the dumps and is suffering? You've suffered enough but still, they never thought of setting you free. And every night that you'll cry yourself to sleep so you could face tomorrow again was hard because you were seething with pure rage. And even if you did manage to sleep, they'll haunt you in your dreams and repeat the same nightmare that happened to you two whole years ago.

You hated them—especially him.

It was hard to move on knowing that the people responsible for your death were up all night partying as if a murder didn't even happen. They were all heartless but once you come back and start haunting them too, you'll show them the true face of cruelty. You can still hold on to the little hope you have of vengeance…after all, someone's out there to help you. And as you step passed the door of hate and revenge, a new and menacing emotion encages your stained heart.

You are no longer that shy and sweet woman they've known you for. And when someone has ever dare hit you, you'll hit them back three times harder so that they could feel that inside you was the same level of pain you've felt when you lost that one unborn child very important you.

From the whispers of the wind, you hear the soft murmur of anger pushing you forward to the next kill. You're ready for revenge because their lives will be under your full control. And the decisions will all be very bias.

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Gerald Walker took a step closer to me as he opened the glass doors of the salon his family owns. The Walker family has a lot of companies under their control and it seems as if almost the business in their birthplace—England—was controlled by them. They were a well known family said to be very popular business tycoons and when it comes to business, they were really heartless. They pity no one and when they decided to take an enemy company down, it'll be easy just like blinking an eye. They are very cruel people and they are what I need in order to fulfill my revenge.

Gerald was in his middle twenties and he was the first heir to the fortune of the Walker family. He was great in handling the family business and he was very competitive. He was well trusted by his father and almost all the properties that they acquire were because of his efforts. Gerald will be the key for my goal.

He knew all of my plans because he was the one to rescue me when I was drowning two years ago. He kept me under his custody and upon knowing what had happened to me, he decided to help me do whatever I like.

Gerald Walker was Usui's stepbrother and Igarashi's distant cousin. I'm not sure anymore how these three became relatives and I'm not interested on that anymore. As long as I could avenge myself and the life that those two had ruined, I'm already satisfied.

Gerald can also have his fill of revenge to his brother. Whatever that bastard Usui Takumi did to him, I'm thankful he did that. Because now, I'll never be Misaki Ayuzawa but rather Maria Miyazono, Gerald's fiancée—Gerald's dead fiancé who died because of Usui's cruelty. I didn't exactly thought that Usui was that kind of person but all I'm thinking now is that, I need to avenge Ayuzawa Misaki as Miyazono Maria. I'll make sure Usui will suffer thrice the amount I've suffered because he was the one to order Igarashi to kill me. It'll be a bitter suffering that will last for his darn lifetime.

"Dye her hair blond and please put long blond hair extensions on her." Gerald instructed the lady in charge and then pulled a seat for me.

Gerald looks a lot like Usui except for the raven hair and somehow, it pains me to look at him. Like me, he also had suffered a lot because of the lost of someone very important to him which is Maria-san—his fiancée. According to him, Maria died because she tried to follow Usui when he flew to Japan because Gerald and Usui had a fight. Maria met an accident and died upon arriving to the hospital. She was buried the day before their wedding. Usui never found out that she died but all he was told about was that Maria went to States for physical therapy. He had never seen her after that.

There wasn't any exchange of words as the lady in charge did her job on me and completely transformed me into another woman—a dead woman—and then donned up her new creation. After that, Gerald bought me midnight blue eye contacts so I could fully imitate Maria's looks.

Maria Miyazono was a liberal lady. She was fierce, a party girl and she drinks a lot—a habit that Ayuzawa Misaki never tried doing. She was the only daughter of a rich family who were also business partners with the Walkers. Maria was half English, half Japanese and she was indeed a beautiful creation. She has the right shapes on the right places however; she was very small in height.

Although I hate to use Maria-san, still, I would have needed her to please myself. I will be living her life for the meantime because the cause of our death was also the same person. After imitating Maria's physical looks, I got out of the dressing room and walked towards Gerald who seemed to be looking as stunned as ever. If it was about the blond hair, I was stunned too because I never tried dyeing my hair in a very bright color. And besides, it reminds me of someone I hate so much.

"Good job, Ayuzawa Misaki." Gerald commented as he lends his pale hands to me.

I sneered at him before accepting his hand—closing the official deal—and threw the darts on the dartboard where Usui and Igarashi's faces are stapled. "When's the flight to Japan, Gerald?"

"Wait for it two days more." He replied coolly and offers me a glass of wine before smirking evilly. "And then you'll have your revenge."

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_Review please!_

_I'm not really expecting to have lots of reviews but I hope you'll like it. _

_If there are questions, please don't hesitate to ask me._

_PP_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: ****All**recognizable characters belong to **Hiro Fujiwara's Kaichou-wa Maid-sama!**

**A/N: **For those readers who wasn't able to understand the sad ending of **ONE SIDED, **I present you **BIAS**—the sequel of Misaki and Usui's One-sided. Hope you enjoy this story because unlike One-sided, Bias will have unexpected serpentines and an old love story that was tested by fate, revenge and at the same time, prejudice.

-;-

**Bias**

**Is once again dedicated to:**

All my fanfiction readers

-;-

_The cruel bond of love  
>I cannot stop it's not the way<br>Regret that comes at the end of love,_

_Finally leaves, but not hatred_

-;-

_At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled_. **~Marshall B. Rosenberg**

**-;-**

**Two:**

Heavy rain was falling down on Tokyo, Japan upon our arrival from Manchester, England. There was a car that was awaiting Gerald and I that would drive us to the Walker penthouse suites that we'll be staying. Everything was just an act that's why Gerald and I will be staying on separate suites—and somehow, I felt relieved at that. I looked out of the car windows and recognized the familiar world outside our car. However, upon seeing my reflection on the glass windows, I looked away.

_This world…it was never familiar because I grew up in England. I never came here in Japan._

The word repeated itself in my head as I tried to remember the hellish days I've spent in here when I was still Ayuzawa Misaki. But this time, I came back to make those people pay for what they've done to me. Ayuzawa Misaki is dead and now, I'll be living as Miyazono Maria—Gerald's fiancée and the only daughter of the rich Miyazono family from England. I hope it would surprise Usui from the depths of his guts.

From in front of me, Gerald smirked and then rolled down the heavily tinted glass windows. "So, this is the messy world where you grew up, Maria." He looked through the dark alleys and rolled up the windows to refrain the two of us from getting wet. "Oh, I forgot, Ayuzawa-san was the one to grow up in here, not you."

I removed the sunglasses and threw it on the leather couch before sneering at him. "You sure tend to forget a lot now, Gerald. Was it because we're not getting any younger?" I looked out at the world again outside our car and smirked. "This is the dirty place that Ayuzawa Misaki grew up...it sure is disgusting, huh?"

There was pure silence that enveloped the two of us when Gerald's phone started ringing. He excused himself and then flipped his phone open and placed the receiver on his ear. "Speak." The call was in a loudspeaker so I could fully hear what and who he was speaking with.

The caller—someone very familiar to me—spoke with too much speed that I could barely catch up the lines they were saying since it was in fluent English. So in the end, I still wasn't able to understand anything. Gerald flipped his phone closed and then smiled at me.

A frown erupted on my brows since he seems like he was already making a plan. "What is it? Who called you?"

Casually, he shrugged and threw his phone back to the couch. "Seems like you'll be seeing my stepbrother soon, Maria because two days after this, we'll be attending Hanazono-san and Usui's engagement party."

"Good." I mumbled and then removed the huge sunglass which isn't necessary due to the weather revealing my midnight blue eyes. "Takumi and I will meet again—after so many years."

The car drove pass the familiar road that would lead us to the apartment Ayuzawa Misaki once stayed and went straight to where Miyazono Maria will now be staying—because from now on, Maria and I will be one. The rain continued to pour on the sin city as Gerald and I scheme on our plan for destruction.

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_Twelve thirty a.m._

I tossed and turn on the bed since I couldn't sleep before finally sitting up and running a hand through my already messy hair. The rain finally droned on to a quieter drizzle and it was now quiet outside the glass walls of the penthouse but still, sleep couldn't seem to visit me. I jumped out of the bed and walked towards the glass walls so I could have a view of the silent world from my penthouse.

_Two years…it has been two years._

I tightened the robe around my frozen body and studied my reflection from the glass walls. Blond hair, blue eyes…a new different look, what would he react upon seeing me? Would he feel scared because the ghost of his past is now coming back to get him? Would he feel the same anger I've felt when he tried to drown me by using Igarashi? Would he resent me because I came back as Miyazono Maria? Would he be angry again because my sudden come back might ruin his reputation? Or would he immediately bite the trap I've set for him that would lead to his immediate fall down?

But the most basic question that erupted in my thought is…will Usui Takumi fall in love with me again because I look a lot like Ayuzawa Misaki?

Usui's last words repeated itself inside my head as I step outside the front porch and feel the cold wind caressing my skin.

"—_but you know what happens in the movies? Wherein the main protagonist founds out that she got cheated but in truth, it was just a trap? That is what's happening now."_

I roughly shook my head and composed myself because what he told me back then was just plain bluff to protect his reputation as a bachelor. He was stupid to think that I would believe him. He was stupid to think that I would even dare believe his petty words. I knew better than doing that.

The floor was damp and cold under my feet due to the heavy rain but I ignored it. I've experienced too much and this plain cold is nothing. I could never feel afraid anymore. I once face death that's why if I ever face it again, I now know how to fight back—after all, Gerald was there to save me. He won't abandon me unlike what Usui did to me. Gerald will always be there to guide me and be with me.

Memories from the past appeared before me during the time I was still suffering from that deep trauma I've had since I was afraid of deep ocean water. Luckily, Gerald was there cruising and miraculously, he had seen me floating me on the ocean and saved me. During those nights that I was calling out Usui for help, Gerald was the one present to guard me on my sleep. Those times that even sleep was a nightmare and dreams were hell—he was there to be with me.

The pain and anger from two years ago came back to me immediately pulling me out of my desperate trance. Rain started pouring out again but I ignored it and continued to stand there on the open porch.

The day after tomorrow, I'll be meeting with those three again. I'll make sure to give them the biggest surprise of their lives—after all, they disposed Ayuzawa Misaki two years ago and now, Miyazono Maria will come back to have them pay for what they've done to me.

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Gerald was wearing usual suit when he met me at the buffet table. He seemed relax and a little bit cool since we'll be attending the engagement party tomorrow. He took his seat in front of me and then removed the napkin off the table before smiling at me.

"Morning," he greeted me with a smile, however, upon seeing the huge and dark circles under my eyes, he scowl. "What's with those eye bags? Got a hard time sleeping or you were too excited to see me?"

I rolled my eyes and drink the orange juice that was served to me first while I was waiting for him. "I'm excited to see you so I could pour this on your favorite suit."

"Good to see that I didn't wear it today." there was an impossible glow on his eyes as he said that before calling the waitress. "So, what do you want for breakfast? Don't worry, it's my treat."

"It's your suite, Gerald." I murmured while looking away. "And besides, I'm already good, I just wait for you here because I was planning to take a walk by myself while you're eating."

After placing his orders, Gerald threw me a glance and then sighed. "What's the problem, Maria? Aren't you ready to meet Takumi yet, because if so, I can tell him that we have something scheduled tomorrow."

I shook my head in response and gave him a fake sneer—hiding my true expression behind a mask of determination to meet the guy who destroyed me once. "Me? Not ready? Are you stupid, Gerald? I wouldn't agree to be here if I'm not ready to see your brother." I irritatedly stood up and grabbed my pouch bag from the table and nodded at him. "I'll see you later—I'll be taking a walk—"

"Wait, Maria." Gerald called out the waitress to cancel his order before rushing to my side. "There's somewhere I want to bring you first before you walk alone by yourself."

He pulled me outside the buffet and grabbed the key from the valet before driving me towards the each where he found me. Extreme fear enveloped me as I threw Gerald a menacing glare. The beach was still like the last time I've seen it—menacing and threatening. The huge waves crashed against each other desperately trying to bring each other down. The dark clouds looming over it wasn't doing any help only making the beach look more dangerous than it already was.

I turned to Gerald while shivering since we didn't brought any coat to brace us from the cold. "Why did you bring me here? Are you trying to remind of what happened to me in the past?"

He held out his hand to me and then placed it on my frozen shoulders. "Yes Maria, I'm trying to remind you of what happened to Ayuzawa Misaki of the past so that your anger to him won't dissipate. When you see Takumi at the engagement party tomorrow, you won't be speaking as Ayuzawa Misaki because you're now Miyazono Maria. You were alive again because of Ayuzawa Misaki's anger—that's the only thing that gives you life."

I ripped his hands off my shoulder and scoff at him bitterly. "You don't have to tell me that. I will do the best I can to bring Usui down with or without your reminders. From now on, never bring me on this place again—or I won't be able to forgive you." I walked away from the beach in a hurry but then I paused midway as I looked back once again to Gerald and to the angry ocean that seems to be getting familiar with me too. "And besides, I won't look back anymore."

"Maria." Gerald called once again when I started to walk away from him. "Make sure that no one will be able to distinguish you. If you're planning to pay your family or your old apartment a secret visit, try putting on some disguise."

I inhaled the freezing breeze and then turn back to him again while showing him an evil grin. "Don't worry; I won't head to the place where Ayuzawa Misaki wasted her last days. I will go to the place that I know she never dare step her foot and if luck is on my side, I'll pay someone a very special visit."

"Don't go exposing your real identity to him, Maria." He reminded me before throwing a phone on my direction. "I'll let you play first for awhile and then, call me when you're tired. Don't do too much flirting, okay?"

I sneered once again and then showed him his car key before laughing. "Call your assistant first or you'll be walking in the rain."

I walked towards Gerald's car and brought the engine back to life before speeding off. I didn't even dare turn the heater on because it'll be best if my body would be frozen cold—I like it better that way. I drove straight to where Usui and I first met and was overjoyed upon seeing that it was still there—although there were a lot of renovations to keep the place from falling apart.

It was still early in the morning so it was still closed so I decided to pay a visit first the place where Ayuzawa Misaki used to stay. Surprisingly, the house was vacant and I was wondering if the key that I have with me was still the same key that could open the house.

It was also a surprise when I found out that Gerald was keeping it. But maybe, it's because it was the spare key Igarashi had used when he barged inside my house to dispose me—no, to dispose Misaki. Gerald said he found it at the pockets of my sweater when their maid changed my clothes. The thought that Igarashi had purposely placed it inside my pockets to dispose off any items that would point out to the case of my disappearance angered me at that time.

He must be so afraid that the murder would ruin his reputation so he erased all evidence that might point him out.

I stepped out of the car and put on the sunglasses I've bought with me before walking towards the direction of the gate. The metal bars were all rusty and it seems as if there weren't any signs of intruders inside my house. The garden flowers were all dried up and the absence of care was present on the exterior of the house.

I pulled out the spare key Gerald gave me and with hopeful eyes, inserted it on the key hole. The loud click from the inside made my heart jump in joy as I hurriedly pushed the door open and entered the house—the smell of musty old couch and sandalwood evaporated on the air which served as the house' warm greeting to its previous owner.

However, what surprised me was when I saw that the furniture's were still on the place where I left them. It was as if the house was vacant in purpose and was never sold. My forehead creased as I hurriedly rushed to the kitchen and saw that the cup that I last touch was still on its usual place. My lips started to quiver upon seeing that.

They didn't…they didn't search for me—for Ayuzawa Misaki. They just let her die as if…as if she was a threat to their lives. I bit the inside of my cheek and slowly walked upstairs to check if my room was still on its usual disarray. The rotten flowers by the vase were still standing there by the hallway, the windows were all tightly closed and the curtains were never replaced. Upon entering my old bedroom, the first thing that I noticed where the travelling bags that were all placed at the foot of my messy bed.

Everything was still on its place. Nothing change so much.

Those bastards were indeed challenging me.

I walked towards the closet and pulled the doors open to check if some of the contents were still there and surprisingly, everything was indeed on the places where I left them. I dig towards the messy array of clothes and grabbed the clothes of Usui before stuffing all of them in a plastic bag. As Miyazono Maria, I will do whatever Ayuzawa Misaki wants. I will dispose the memories Usui have in this house—the flowers, the clothes and everything that he dumped in here.

I will help Ayuzawa Misaki forget that bastard Usui Takumi and at the same time, I will avenge her. And as Ayuzawa Misaki, I will also avenge Maria-san's death—because the two of us are now one.

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Wearing light make up and the clothes Gerald had given me—which were also the kind of clothes Maria-san has been wearing—I walked inside the poorly lit bar and sat by a vacant table while waiting for Gerald since he said that he'll follow me here too.

The bar totally changed after two years but still, it kept the same life it had when I first came here. People from the dance floor look my way and although I'm not used to the blunt stares being given to me, I still tried to act as if I've been partying ever since I became a teenager. I reminded myself that I'm no longer that shy girl I used to be and that I am now a liberated English woman.

I was on that way of thinking when a glimpse of pale and dark blond passed by my table. Their backs were on me as they occupied a table two tables away from me and that feeling of familiarity suddenly enraged me.

My phone started ringing pulling me out of my trance and so, with the loud music in full blast, I walked towards a much quieter corner by walking passed the table they were occupying. I hit the answer button and pressed the receiver on my ear. "Gerald."

"Maria, where are you?" Gerald prompted from the other line. "I'm currently on the way to that bar you're talking about but the traffic's quite heavy—I think I'll be late for half an hour."

"No problem, Gerald." I mumbled while grinning devilishly. "I've seen a friend from two years ago—you said you'll allow me to play first right?"

There was short silence before he responded. "You playing have no problems with me. But make sure that they would know your true and fake identity. The bar's darkly lit, right? If so, then its okay to show half of your face to him—just don't give away too much of your emotion. Play hard to get."

"I am hard to get." I told him and then started giggling due to the excitement I suddenly felt since I'll start playing now. "Well, drive safely, Gerald…I'll see you later."

"I'll call you when I arrive there later." He said and then hung up.

I flipped my phone close and then walked back to my table but since the two preys I was targeting made no move of noticing me, I purposefully trip over my shoes and fell down in front of them.

"Ow!" I mumbled in utter surprise since the impact of my fall was indeed too strong for me to handle since I was wearing extremely high heels. "Crap, that hurts."

The first guy who helped me was none other than Igarashi Tora—the guy I hate the most. He jumped down before me and then hurriedly helped me up. "Hey, lady, are you okay? What happened? Did you break your ankle?"

I kept my eyes down and caressed my ankle before shrugging. "I'm not sure—but I'm still in one piece. Thanks for helping me."

"It's no big deal." He then lend his hand out to me and casually introduced himself. "I'm Igarashi Tora."

I brushed away annoying blond strands of hair off my face before facing him and smiling darkly. "I know you, Igarashi-kun, you're pretty famous around England," I then turn to the absentminded guy behind me and smirked at him. "—especially that one."

Usui glanced up at me in surprise and once our eyes met, I smiled inwardly upon seeing that utterly shocked expression on his eyes. When I secretly glanced at Igarashi, he too acts as if he had seen a ghost.

I flipped my hair to the back and then checked a heavily manicured fingernail. "Well, thanks for helping me up. I certainly didn't expect to fall down like that." I threw Usui a familiar gaze that would haunt him for the rest of his life before smiling seductively. "I'll see you around."

I turned my back to them and was about to walk away when someone held me by the elbow—completely stopping me from walking away. When I turned back at them, it was Usui that was stopping me.

That made me grin even more but I hide it behind the corners of my lips and instead, arched an eyebrow at him. "What? Do you need something?"

"Y-You…" he whispered but somehow, it still didn't manage to escape my sense of hearing. "You're familiar, have we met somewhere before?"

I gave him a ridiculed grin before gently ripping his hands off me. "Is that a new way to flirt with someone? Seriously, that line has been used for so many times."

"I'm not flirting with you." He said with conviction, completely rendering me off guard since he had also used that line on Ayuzawa Misaki when she repeatedly accused him of flirting with her. "I'm definitely sure that we've already met somewhere—I just don't remember when and where."

I looked around us and threw a scornful glance at Igarashi before glancing back at him. "I'm not sure if we really met each other in the past but maybe you know my boyfriend. He talks a lot about you."

Igarashi scowl at that. "B-Boyfriend—you have a boyfriend?"

I laughed at his stupid reaction and then turned at him in annoyance. "Do I look like the type who can't play around with men? Are you naturally born stupid? Or if ever you're using some new pick up lines, I could say that that was the worsest pick up line you've ever utter."

"You're pretty harsh, huh?" Igarashi pointed out and then offered me a drink. "I could say that I'm interested on you."

"Thanks, but I don't like you." I finalized and then turned to Usui. "If you have nothing good to say, then I'll be taking my leave."

"Wait!" Usui pulled me back again and then caressed my hair—on my own opinion, I think he was checking if I was wearing fake hair. "You're from England?"

"Why, interested?" I asked in mockery. "I see that we're from the same country, huh?"

"Can you tell me your name?" he replied instead and tried to drag me to somewhere with enough light to have a full view of my face. "You seemed really familiar."

I ripped his off me again and then took a step back to the dark corners of the table. "I think I might have forgotten my name because you're too forceful. If you would stop touching me, I might remember it."

I smiled inwardly again when he slipped his hands off me and took two faltering steps back. He run a hand through his golden and messy hair and sat once again on the table.

From beside us, Igarashi cleared his throat and smiled at me—trying to get my attention. "Forgive him, dear; he was still at lost because her ex-girlfriend died."

I froze upon hearing that so I immediately look away to hide the expression that was trying to reveal itself from my eyes. I heaved out a sigh of relief when my phone started ringing so I immediately pick it up and pressed the receiver over my ear.

"Hello, Gerald? Where are you?"

"I'm inside the bar now. Where are you?"

I smiled again upon seeing Usui's another surprise and priceless expression before responding to Gerald's question. "I'm speaking with someone, babe. They were Usui Takumi and Igarashi Tora—come here to the table near the dance floor." I grinned once again upon hearing the laugh that escaped his throat and laughed. "I will introduce them to you when you came here."

"I think there's no need for that anymore." He mumbled while laughing. "I'm seeing you right now, turn your back."

I slipped the phone off my ear and spun around in time to see Gerald walking towards me. I welcomed him with a warm smile and hugged him tightly before placing a quick kiss on his cheek. "Hi, babe."

"Hi, babe." He greeted back and then nodded at Usui and Igarashi. "Hey there, I'm back."

"G-Gerald?" Usui gasped in disbelief. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to attend your engagement, idiot." He muttered and then turned to face me. "So, shall we go home now? It's getting so late and it looks like we're interrupting Takumi's small bachelor party."

I smiled widely and nodded at him before turning to Usui and giving him the scoff. "I guess I'll see you on your engagement party tomorrow, Takumi-kun." I smiled at Igarashi too before pulling Gerald away from their table with my arms tightly wrapped around his.

Gerald started laughing at me. "Did you give away your name?"

I grinned at him and shook my head in response. "Stop worrying, Gerald; you still have the chance to introduce me to him as Miyazono Maria." I looked up at the direction towards us and started laughing. "And then, I'll make his life turn for the worst."

-;-

_Wee, Chapter 2 is done and I hope you like it. If there are questions regarding this chapter, feel free to ask me or PM me and I'll answer it all. _

_Please review! :) _

_Anyway, I just want to thank yuffetinelovelast4ever and XBookLoverX2 for their funny messages. Those certainly made my day and it had encourage me to write this chapter._

_See you later!_

_PP_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:****All **recognizable characters belong to **Hiro Fujiwara's Kaichou-wa Maid-sama!**

**Summary: **With unexpected serpentines, an old love story that was tested by fate, revenge and at the same time prejudice, will the truth behind the lie still prevail?

-;-

**Bias**

**Is once again dedicated to:**

All my fanfiction readers

-;-

_The cruel bond of love  
>I cannot stop it's not the way<br>Regret that comes at the end of love,_

_Finally leaves, but not hatred_

-;-

_At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled_. **~Marshall B. Rosenberg**

-;-

**Three: **

_I never expected that anger has different faces. _

I was raised from a humble family and both my parents had loved me. I grew up from such a nice surrounding and had believed that fairy tale endings do exist. But when life slapped me hard in the face to throw me back to my own reality, I've realized that life is cruel. Those pink and blue dreams I would always have every time I sleep, that rainbow that varies in color and those pink unicorns and walking teddy bears, they simply don't exist.

Life is much duller than that and dreamy tales simply doesn't have any place in real life. In the end, I still have to wake up and face the truth—that this is the truth. That no one can and will love you truly aside from yourself.

I raised my eyes so I could scrutinize the reflection on the mirror that doesn't belong to me—golden strands of hair, blue eyes, a mole under the left eye—that reflection wasn't certainly me but rather someone who wishes to avenge for someone with the soul of another person who sustains this reflection her life.

But why is it that every time she'll look on her reflection, she sees the reflection of that shy girl from the past?

"Maria, are you ready?"

I looked up at Gerald in utter surprise before applying lipstick on my lips and then grabbing my pouch and turning to Gerald with glee. He wore formal coat over his black vest and white long sleeve and he certainly looked handsome on that.

Gerald smiled at me and scanned the white dress I was wearing before grinning. "Great, you look lovely tonight."

"Of course, I should." I told him before wrapping my arms around his. "It's an engagement party tonight and we'll be attending a very special friend's very special event. I'm sure he'll wear again that priceless expression he wore last night at the bar."

Gerald just smirked and then led me to the car that was awaiting us. He opened the door for me before finally speeding off to the event's meeting place. "I'll trust your good acting skills tonight, Maria."

I checked my eyes from the pouch mirror I was carrying with me before eyeing him. "I have such great acting skills, you might even get fooled so don't watch that much." I smirked outwardly again and tucked a loose strand of blond hair behind my ear. "Japan's really a nice place—even the people here are great. Although I don't want to admit it, I really felt good that I'm back."

"Yep, it sure is."

We drove for another couple of minutes until we finally reach the engagement's location. There were so many people that attended the party and Gerald got too preoccupied with the people his family was dealing with in terms of business so he excused himself first and told me to entertain myself for awhile with the other guests and then he'll be back after a couple of minutes. Of course, Gerald didn't forget to introduce me to everyone as his fiancée.

I walked towards the outside garden also designed with a lot of tables and chairs. I inhaled the night breeze and looked out of the familiar scenery before me. Japan's great and although I never wanted to admit it, it was indeed great to be back.

I've decided to get inside the lobby now but upon seeing Igarashi walking my way, an invisible frown erupted on my brows. I walk passed him but instead, he blocked my path and grabbed me by the elbow.

A slight scowl was present on his brows. "You…have me met somewhere before? You seemed really familiar to me."

I gently ripped his grip off me and smiled at him with such disgust. "It's a shame that you've already forgotten me. I fell on my face in front of you and your friend last night."

"Oh!" he mumbled under his breath before smiling widely. "Well, hello again beautiful lady. I'm I—"

"Igarashi Tora." I cut in and flipped my hair impatiently. "Yes, I know you, Igarashi-kun. You're Gerald's cousin—my fiancée."

"F-Fiancée—you're Gerald's fiancée?"

Gerald suddenly stepped in between us and placed his hands around my waist. "Well, hello there, Tora, I see that you've already meet my fiancée." Gerald smiled at me whilst I just nodded at him. "Maria, this is my cousin—Igarashi Tora. Tora this is Maria Miyazono—my fiancée."

I smiled at Tora half-heartedly and unwillingly held out my hand to him. "Hello, Igarashi-kun. I'm Maria Miyazono—glad to finally meet my fiancée's cousin."

Igarashi's forehead creased and instead of shaking my hand, he grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me closer to him. "What? You? You're Miyazono Maria? Are you sure? Are you—"

I yanked my elbows off his grip and gently caressed it before glaring at him. "Why the hell do you have to grab me like that?" I turned to Gerald disappointedly and growl at him. "Does your relative really act like this? Geez, Gerald, I might developed a bruise here."

"What's happening here?"

All three of us glanced at the same direction in time to see Usui approaching us. However upon seeing me, he suddenly rushed to me with inhuman speed and hugged me tightly—crushing me inside his arms. It had surprised me—of course—because I wasn't expecting him to be like that. And somehow, the intensity of his touch made the angry waves of pain and hatred for him disappear. I froze when he pressed me harder on his chest. I was shocked. Questions suddenly appeared inside my now messy head. Did he hugged me because he was seeing Maria-san inside me or was it because somehow—inside that frozen heart of his—he recognizes my reflection as Ayuzawa Misaki.

I immediately pushed him away and slapped him upon remembering that he was the cause of all my pains and sufferings. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Why did you hug me? Didn't you see that I'm in front of my fiancée?"

Usui's eyes rounded as he threw Gerald a glance and then looked back at me. "Fiancée? Gerald? Misaki—you're Misaki, right? Why did you dye your hair? I'm sure it's you! What happened to you? How did you meet Gerald?" I gasped when he hugged me once again and then decided never to let go even if I tried pushing him off. "Misaki, I've been searching for you—"

"I said let go!" I yelled at him and once again, slapped him square in the face so he could be revert back to reality because he was mistaking me for someone else. "Are you stupid? Who the hell is Misaki anyway? Could it be that you're mistaking me for someone else—like an ex-girlfriend?"

Gerald immediately pulled me beside him and glared at Usui and without any warnings, punched him. "Are you really a jerk, Usui? Damn it, you're getting engage and you couldn't still control your rotten attitude? Do you seriously not recognize her? She's Miyazono Maria—my fiancée."

His eyes rounded even more and the expression he was wearing was the most prized one. I grinned inwardly and tried to hide the glee inside me upon seeing that he was wearing such remarkable expression because of me. The expression of shock and utter surprise was present on his voice and it surely had made me jumpy inside. I'm just starting and Usui's already falling in my trap.

"Y-You're Maria Miyazono?" he prompted—trying to assure himself if it was indeed real.

I tossed my hair backwards and then eyed him in annoyance. "Yes, I'm Maria Miyazono, have you already forgotten me, Usui Takumi? I can't believe you've mistaken me for some—"

I gasped when he suddenly pulled a thick strand of my hair and then pulled my face towards him so he could see my face in the light. "No—it couldn't be. Y-You're Ayuzawa Misaki." Usui then pulled Igarashi and then spun me around so we could be facing each other. "Igarashi, look closely, if it wasn't for the different hair and eye color—she could be Misaki. Look close—"

"Will you stop it already!" I yelled at him and once again slapped him on the cheek so that he'd feel pain and know that he was annoying. "I said I'm not that Misaki whatever you're talking about!" I angrily turn to Gerald and pursed my lips into a thin line. "Gerald, are they really like this? Do you know that this is infuriating?"

Gerald irritatedly turned to Usui and then pulled me beside him once again. "I really apologized for this, Maria. I never thought that Usui and Igarashi would act like a real jerk around you. Usui, that sure is stupid—I don't want this happening again. Apologize to her."

Usui eyed me again with that hesitant look in his eyes before looking away. He was uncertain—unsure—and he definitely seemed lost. Slowly, he avoided my eyes and then sighed. "Sorry, I just really thought that you're that girl I was searching for a long time, Maria. I apologized for this and I hope this incident wouldn't ruin your night."

"You should hope harder." I hissed at him and then looked away.

He nodded curtsy and then turned to Igarashi. "Sakura's looking for you; I'll be excusing myself now, Maria, Gerald. I'll see you later."

Igarashi excused himself too finally leaving me and Gerald to ourselves. Gerald then turned to me with a wry grin attached on his lips. "Nice acting, huh?"

I slipped my hands off his and then grabbed my pouch from the floor before turning to Gerald. "Please excuse me for awhile—I-I'm going to the bathroom." I rushed to the bathroom without any more words and gaze at the reflection that doesn't belong to me and furiously washed my hands. And before I realized it, tears already stained my cheeks.

**-;-**

**Note: **This one's tough and very short—sorry about that. I don't think I can update again for a couple of days but I assure you that once I update **Bias**—**Cinderella and Heiress **will be updated too. The reviews are really awesome and the PM's are all inspiring. Thank you for supporting this fic and in order to finish all my stories, I won't be writing new stories for awhile. I'll be finishing all my stories before I write another one. I just decided to work on Bias because the idea seemed beautiful and I don't think someone else have written this kind of plot—but correct me if I'm wrong though. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask me. I hope this chapter is to your liking. If there are grammar errors—sorry.

**P.S.: **At last, Usui and Misaki—I mean, Maria had finally met. I wonder what will happen next. Watch out for too much anger and prejudice here in **Bias**.

_PandemoniumPrincess_


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All**recognizable characters belong to **Hiro Fujiwara's Kaichou-wa Maid-sama!**

**Summary:**With unexpected serpentines, an old love story that was tested by fate, revenge and at the same time prejudice, will the truth behind the lie still prevail?

-;-

**Bias**

**Is once again dedicated to:**

All my fanfiction readers

-;-

_I don't know when it started…_

_when I began slipping into the delusion that I seem to be no longer human._

_It's been very long…_

_Perhaps…it started from the end,_

_When I used up all the love of a lifetime…_

_From the day I ran away with my heart empty…empty._

_-;-_

_The cruel bond of love  
>I cannot stop it's not the way<br>Regret that comes at the end of love,_

_Finally leaves, but not hatred_

-;-

_At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled__.__**~Marshall B. Rosenberg**_

_-;-_

**Four:**

They gave the newly engage couple a round of applause while I tried to ride with flow. Sakura looked happy as she thanked everyone while Usui had this unexplainable expression in his eyes. He looks like he was held against his will and he looks like he was thinking deeply about something. He was quiet but he would greet everyone with a smile when someone approaches him.

My head automatically snapped up when someone patted me—when I look up, it was Gerald and he was smiling. I smiled back at him and arched an eyebrow while sipping from that wine glass I've been holding for the last hours. "What is it?"

"Your eyes are swelling a little bit." He informed me and sipped from his own glass too. He nodded at Usui and Sakura's direction and then sighed. "Did you cry because of what Usui did awhile ago? Or is it because he was now engage with Sakura Hanazono?"

I finished the wine and dumped in on the table before smirking at him. "Do you think I'm that soft, Gerald? This is just the start. Whether I'm crying because of what Usui did a while ago or because he was engage now to the girl I despised the most—it doesn't matter anymore. This will never happen—ever again. I came back to destroy all of them and this time, I won't give up—not until they were kneeling before me—especially that Usui Takumi." I stood up from my seat and then walked towards where the newly engaged couple was seating—carrying a bouquet of flowers Gerald and I bought for the two of them.

Upon seeing me, Sakura's eye rounded.

I smiled at her wholeheartedly and pushed the flowers on her chest—avoiding Usui's eyes. "Hello, Usui invited me and my fiancée to attend your engagement party—it was really great and I wish you two a wonderful future." I then threw a glance at Usui and smiled at him. "Thanks for the invitation, Takumi."

Sakura threw me a threatening glance as she glared at Usui. "Who's she and why is she calling you by your first name?"

I laughed in mockery and flipped a lock of blond hair to my back. "You need not be jealous, Sakura-san. Takumi and I grew up in England together and he has been treating me like his very own sister—his stepbrother was my fiancé. And when Gerald and I fly back to England, I will surely tell everyone that Takumi have found such a wonderful lady. Welcome to our family."

Sakura flushed beet red as she hurriedly looked away and pretended like she was smelling the flowers I've given her before finally giving me a friendly smile. "Sorry if I approached you wrongly, I tend to get jealous easily."

"Seems so, but its okay, Takumi's a wonderful guy—you should keep watch around him." I smiled at them once again and was about to leave when Sakura suddenly grabbed me by the elbow. I turned to her with a gentle smile and an eyebrow rose to its highest. "Yes?"

"By the way, can you tell me your name?" she wrapped her hands around Takumi's and then smiled at me. "I want to know the name of Takumi's sister. And also, correct me if I'm wrong but have we seen each other before? You look so familiar—it's like I've already met you."

"You must be good in recalling the past." I commented and then held out my hand to her which she accepted briefly. "I'm Miyazono Maria—like Takumi, I'm also half Japanese, half English. Well, I have to leave now, my fiancé's waiting for me…or you want me to introduce you to him?"

"Well, if that would please you." She replied meekly.

I spun around and called Gerald's attention the same time he walked towards me and then smiled at Sakura. "Gerald, dear, this is Sakura Hanazono-san—obviously Takumi's fiancé. Very pretty, isn't she?"

Gerald was about to retort when Takumi suddenly stood up and grabbed me by the elbow before pulling me towards him. "Sakura, excuse me for awhile. I just need to talk with my sister." He tightened his grip on my elbow and then yanked me out of the lobby and pulled me to somewhere seclude before pushing me against the wall. "Maria—damn it, are you really Maria? What the hell happened to you? Why are you acting like his and why the hell did you come back here in Japan? Didn't you tell me that you're not coming here anymore because of what happened here to you many years ago?"

I paused and looked through him as I was remembering the thing that happened to Maria many years ago. According to Gerald, Maria-san got bullied here during her teen years and was abused by the students on her school. She suffered physically and emotionally so she was sent to a mental institution and was more than willing to fly back to England. Takumi had known Maria for so long that he was knowledgeable of what happened to her—except the part of her accident and unfortunate death.

I irritatedly ripped his grip off me and then tried to fixed myself. "Did I tell you that? How come I can't remember it anymore? Could it be that you're in delusion again, Takumi? First you've mistaken me for someone and now you're trying to kick me back to England again? You looked stupid, you know?"

"Are you wearing contacts?"

I rolled my eyes at that. "Do I look like I'm a fan of contacts? If I were you, just mind your fiancée. Watch over her carefully so that you won't lose her like what happened to that girl you're talking about."

He bit the inside of his cheek and smirked in ridicule. "Did Igarashi relate the story to you?"

"It's none of your business." I pushed him off and then run a hand through my curly locks. "Just go out there and shine, Takumi. Make your fiancé happy. Who knows when your happiness with her will last." I purposefully bumped my shoulders to his and walked back to the lobby. For some unknown reason, my heart started to beat rapidly as if every time I was near him, I'll explode.

Before I reached Gerald, I still manage to compose myself. Relax, Misaki, I'll be there for you. While they are still seeing Maria in you try controlling your emotions okay?

-;-

I throw the heels I was wearing somewhere far from my sight and annoyingly knocked the lamp off the table and plopped down on the bed. What's happening to me—I'm not really sure. But what I'm sure off is that every time I'm near Usui, I can't help but act stupidly. He almost see through me awhile ago and if Gerald knew about this, he'll get angry at me and that was the last thing I would want. I don't want to disappoint Gerald—he would be the first person in my life I would refuse to leave. If I was still Ayuzawa Misaki, I can compare him to Usui. Gerald is important that's why I will never ever disappoint him.

I walked towards the bathroom and carelessly slipped the dress off my body and walked straight to the mirror before removing my contacts and that extension that was forming a braid above my scalp. I threw the extensions to the floor and then watched as raven hair flowed down over my shoulder. The thing is, only the above part of my hair was dyed blond, the end of my hair—the one where the extensions were attached—remained on its natural black color.

I recognized the reflection on the mirror—the black hair, the amber eyes—but still; I don't care about this image anymore. Maria Miyazono will now devour the remains of Ayuzawa Misaki and be completely Maria. The voice of Ayuzawa Misaki will never linger in my head anymore and I will go on with my revenge.

I picked the extension and attached it back on my hair and then put on the midnight blue contact lenses too. "Ayuzawa Misaki…fare thee well."

I put on a robe and grabbed my phone before calling on someone who knows my secret too. On the third ring, he picked up and his tone of glee welcomed me.

"Hello?" he almost sang from the other line. "Misa-Maria, hey there, why did you call? Do you need something?"

I glanced at the wall clock and then grinned to the reflection in front of me. "Sorry to bother you at this time of the night, Aoi-chan but, can you buy a certain house for me?"

"House, what house?" he prompted in confusion. "Aren't you living in such splendid penthouse now? Why buy another house?"

I just shrugged and then giggled. "I'm planning to surprise someone. I'll text you the details later and I want you to buy it as soon as possible. Search for the owner of that house too. I was kind of planning to live there and asked Gerald's permission to renovate that house."

There were papers shuffling from the other line before he responded. "Misaki, what are you planning to do now? Are you planning to surprise Takumi out of his guts again? Or are you perhaps going to put a wax figure of his dead girlfriend in that house?"

"I don't know." I replied truthfully. "I mean, I don't know which of the options you give is the best but like what your illegitimate brother had said—if it wasn't for the blond hair, I would exactly look like that dead girlfriend of his. In truth, I was kind of planning to give him another surprise of his life. I will tell Gerald that I would dye my hair black but maintain the long hair so he would still believe that I'm Maria. Of course, the blue eyes are still present—I won't imitate Ayuzawa Misaki completely but just enough to scare them out of their wits."

"You mean you'll live in that house as Maria Miyazono who looks like Ayuzawa Misaki?" he concluded and again, there were a lot of noise in the background.

I rolled my eyes and walked towards the bed and plopped down on it comfortably. "Don't conclude yet, Aoi-chan. I want all my plans to work that's why I'm going to plan even the tiniest details carefully. That's why I needed your cooperation. You're Takumi's little stepbrother and you know him well. You too were angry when he chose Sakura to marry and completely buried the sin he and his friends committed to Ayuzawa Misaki six feet under the ground two long years ago. If you continued to stay by my side, I'll succeed." I heeled through my nose and threw a glance at my wristwatch once again. "Well, I'm off to bed. Gerald and I have lots of talking to do tomorrow, good night."

"Good night, Misaki, have plenty dreams." That and he finally hung up.

I hung up too and throw the phone to my lamp table before staring at the dark ceiling. There was faint light coming from the outside since it was dark inside me room.

I won't have plenty dreams as for now, Aoi-chan. I've been living with nightmares now for the past years of my life I've wasted with Igarashi, Sakura and especially Takumi. I don't have any plans whatsoever to go back to that fictionalized world again.

They are all going down.

-;-

_Heiress will be updated next._

_Please review._

_Thanks for reading._

_PP_


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All **recognizable characters of **Kaichou Wa Maid-sama! **Belong to **Hiro Fujiwara**

**Note: **Hey readers, I don't think I could update sooner because I have an arm injury. Yeah, it really hurts and since I was getting a lot of alerts lately, I got inspired so much that you're all anticipating for the next chapter of this story.

-;-

**Bias is once again dedicated to:**

All my fanfiction readers

-;-

_She's a splash of secret splendor and seduction.__  
><em>_Plunge yourself in her abstract of lines—her tangles of vines.__  
><em>_Be allured, be enticed... She's a queen of complication, __  
><em>_a poisonous beauty hidden under the webs of pretensions._

-;-

-;-

_The cruel bond of love  
>I cannot stop it's not the way<br>Regret that comes at the end of love,_

_Finally leaves, but not hatred_

-;-

_At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled_. **~Marshall B. Rosenberg**

**-;-**

**Five: The Poison Ivy**

"You can do whatever you want, Maria." Gerard muttered while taking a swig from his coffee. He carefully placed it down the table and then smiled at me. "I trust you anyway that's why I know that whatever you do, you'll be successful."

I smiled inwardly and then nodded at him. The sky outside was on its highest and everything seemed fine—it was a good start of my day. From my peripheral view, Gerald grabbed something from his breast pocket and then handed it to me. It was a blue velvet box and although I was a little surprise, I already knew what the content of it was.

My forehead creased as I reached over it and slowly opened it. Inside, a silver ring was sitting comfortable—still clean and shiny. "W-What's this?"

Gerard looked away and then started coughing. "Well, that was Maria's ring when we were engaged. I gave that to her as a gift but she insisted that she doesn't want any more rings—one ring is enough. That's why although I want to buy her different rings, her humbleness made me think that one ring is indeed enough—since she's alone in my heart too."

I glanced at the ring and closed the lid before pushing it back to him. "I don't have to wear that, Gerard-sama. When I'm in front of you, you should see me as Ayuzawa Misaki. For me—I've thought that I would clearly forget about the true me; that I'll live as Miyazono Maria-san while carrying Ayuzawa Misaki's heart. But you see, I can deceive other people but not myself. Because even if I tried to change myself physically, every time I'll look in that mirror, all I could see was still the dead Ayuzawa Misaki."

Gerard pushed the box towards me before holding my hand. "You must have suffered a lot, Ayuzawa-san. My stepbrother…he must've hurt you a lot that you'll go as far as to avenging yourself and your…your dead baby."

The sudden brought up of the topic made me saddened about my dead baby that's why I hurriedly tried to smile and held his hand back. "The pain of my own death is nothing. I can ignore the fact that they've made me suffer—but my baby's death, I will never let it pass. That's why I'm thankful that you've helped me. I owe you a lot, Gerard-sama."

"What's with the honorific?" he coughed again before reaching out for me and tucking a loose strand of blond hair behind my ear. "I told you, Ayuzawa, the two of us are together in this. I will support you until the end. You don't have to call me Gerard-sama. We're friends remember?"

It was then that I noticed how pale he was that before I realized it, he already fell on the floor. My eyes rounded at that and immediately, I rushed to him and shake him. "Gerard? Gerard, oh God, what's happening here? Help! Cedric! Help me!"

Cedric immediately appeared from the entrance and rushed to me before turning to Gerard. "Young Mistress, what happened to Gerard-sama? Why did he faint? Was he very tired looking when you see him?"

I pushed away annoying bangs off my face before cupping Gerard's face. "Gerard, oh God, please wake up." I then turned to Cedric and started to push him away. "What the hell are you still doing, Cedric? Get out and call an ambulance, dammit!" When Cedric finally dashed away from us, I lay Gerard's head on my lap. "Gerard, please, why the hell did you faint? What the hell's wrong with you? You said you're going to help me. Please wake up, don't do this to me."

But Gerard remained unresponsive. I nervously neared my ears on his mouth in case he wasn't breathing but to my intense surprise, nothing seemed to be wrong about him.

Cedric arrived with the medical group and they immediately carried Gerard's body to the stretcher before delivering him to the hospital. Cedric immediately led me to the car and opened the door for me before speeding off.

And while I was on the way to the hospital, I was praying hard for Gerard to be safe. Whatever path Gerard and I will take against those people who had hurt us deeply, we'll continue to support each other. We'll be together always. And if there are some sacrificing that needs to take place—it is Gerard that I will never forsake.

But I know that deep inside me; my heart was still beating for someone else.

Cedric accelerated even more that we could actually be accused as over speeding but I've no care about that anymore. Screw all those love thing and revenge. Right now, Gerard is the most important. I could care less about Usui, Igarashi and Sakura but if Gerard's life is on the line, I'd definitely forget myself. It is Gerard that I will choose—I will be by his side forever and I will only leave if he doesn't want me anymore.

-;-

"What happened to Gerard?"

My eyes automatically snapped up upon seeing Usui rushing towards Gerard and I's direction. It was only the three of us inside the room since Cedric finally took his leave to give us some privacy. I ignored Usui's question and held Gerard's hand tightly.

I flinched however when Usui grabbed me by the elbow and spun me around to face him. "Maria, I'm asking you what happened to my stepbrother."

"Stepbrother?" I repeated in disgust. "You never treated Gerard as your stepbrother. You despised him, remember? You think I've already forgotten that? I'm not stupid, Takumi. I irritatedly ripped his grip off mine and then walked to the door to open it. "Leave, we don't need you here."

"Maria."

"I said leave." When he didn't make any move, I angrily walked towards him and tried to pull him to the door. However, I gasped when he shut it close, slam me hard against the door and pressed his lips on mine.

I didn't know how to react—more like my mind started to stop functioning. Everything was coming back to me and all the memories I tried so hard to bury suddenly went back to their places inside my now messy mind and planned to stay there for permanence. This kiss…this damn kiss reminds me of the first kiss I've shared with him. I push Usui away but instead, he wrapped my hands around his neck and reeled me closer into an even deeper kiss. I should be angry, I should be frustrated, I should have the intent to kill him now but somehow, all the anger disappeared when he had kissed me.

"Kiss me back…" he whispered and pressed his lips on mine again before slamming me once again on the door. "Kiss me back…Ayuzawa."

A-Ayuzawa…he still think that I'm Ayuzawa Misaki. I looked up at him before accidentally throwing a glance to Gerard who was staring at me. I froze at that but then; he smiled at me and nodded—like he was giving me his blessing.

"—_I trust you anyway that's why I know that whatever you do, you'll be successful."_

My eyes darkened and slowly, I've stopped struggling. I slipped my arms from Usui's neck and looked down on the floor.

"Mari—"

"How dare you call me by the name of that Ayuzawa Misaki?" I hissed in a murmur and then finally took the guts to push him and walked slowly to Gerard. "I am Miyazono Maria, Usui Takumi. But if you so badly want to see Ayuzawa Misaki in me then I shall show her to you."

Usui's forehead creased as he walked towards me with his fist tightly clenched. "What do you mean _show Ayuzawa to me_? Was she alive? Do you know her? Where is she?"

I grinned devilishly at him and caressed his now turning pale cheeks. "Yeah, I know Ayuzawa Misaki—you're little brother told me a lot of things about her. However, due to some unfortunate circumstances, she died. And Aoi said that he died because of you. You played with her after getting her pregnant that's why she died." I grinned even more when he turned even paler—a sign that he's guilty about something. "Why did she die, Takumi? Could it be that the cause of her death was all because of you and those people around you who had helped you hurt her?"

Takumi immediately looked away. "Shut up, you don't know anything."

I caressed Gerard's pale hands before turning to him. "That's wrong, Takumi—I know everything. You are the cause of that Ayuzawa Misaki's heartache." When Gerard groaned softly, I immediately turn to him. "Get out, Takumi; I will let what you did to me passed. But the next time you do that again, you'll receive this." When he seemed as confused as ever, I immediately kicked him on the thigh. "It'll get even more painful if you try to assault me again."

He quietly exited the room and when he was finally gone, Gerard squeezed my hand back before coughing. "Maria."

I leaned towards him alertly and smiled affectionately. "Gerard, you've made me worry. Don't you ever do that again, bastard."

"Hearing you call me bastard makes me want to laugh." And so, he weakly laughed and then caressed my hair. "I saw everything, Maria, you're still attached to Takumi—"

"No," I immediately cut off and shook my head as tears strolled down my eyes. "No, it's not about Usui Takumi, Gerard. Just forget about him for awhile and focused on your health. Don't make me so damn worried because I will never forgive you if you leave me all alone. Don't do what your stepbrother did to me—don't leave me."

"Mari—"

"I'm asking for a favor as a friend." I finalized and then kissed him softly on the forehead. "You're my best friend, Gerard. You were there by my side when I have no one left in this world. You did not walk away when the rest of the world did. You've supported every stupid thing that I did and for that, I want to stay by your side forever. We're friends, Gerard…and always will be."

With a resigned sigh, Gerard nodded and then pulled me closer to him and hugged me tightly. "Don't worry, I won't leave you—never do the same thing Takumi did to you when you are still Ayuzawa Misaki."

"Thank you." I replied and rested my head comfortably on his chest. "I will make sure that I will do whatever you want and won't leave you either. We'll stay together like brothers and sister. Thank you very much, Gerard."

Gerard just shook his head and caressed the back of my head. "I just hope that you could hold your feelings for him until the end—that it will remain dormant until the time he finally finds out that the Maria now and the Ayuzawa then is just the same person."

I smiled at him once again and push away strands of black hair off his pale white face. "Don't worry, that guy won't know that I'm Ayuzawa Misaki—after all, they are going down anyway before they could realize that we are one and the same."

-;-

"Miyazono-san?"

I tied my robe tightly around my waist and tried to remove the black hair color off my forehead before turning around to see Sakura finally entering my room. I stood up and smiled at her; welcoming her warmly.

"Sorry to disturb you, Hanazono-san." I allowed her inside my living room ignoring the perplexed look in her eyes upon seeing me dyeing my hair black. "I just thought that you'd be good in dyeing my hair that's why I called you."

"W-What?" she hesitantly took her seat on the leather couch and gazed at me with such bewildered eyes. "Y-You…your hair; why did you dye it black?"

I shrugged casually and lift a strand of pure black hair. "Well, that's because my hair is too eye catchy. Anyway, doesn't it look good? Gerard said that he would still like me even if I dyed my hair black."

Sakura looked away and clasped her hands together. "Um, no, that's not it. It's just that…if your eyes are the color of amber…I would have mistaken you for someone else."

Feigning confusion, I spun around to face her and arched an eyebrow at her. "Someone else? Really, well, Takumi said that to me too yesterday. He keeps on calling me…Ayu…Ayuzawa something. I don't really know her but I would love to meet her to see for myself if she really looked a lot like me."

Sakura's eyes snapped up upon hearing that and finally looked away. "Well, Misaki-san has been missing for two years now; we don't really know what happened to her. Up to now, Takumi's heart still belongs to her. This engagement…I'm sure he'll announce it off soon. Takumi loves Misaki-san a lot—it's such a shame that their relationship ended badly because of other parties trying to keep the two of them apart."

Without her seeing, I grinned. "Must be like movies, huh?"

Nervously, her head snapped on my direction and then stood up and walked towards the glass walls. "Yeah, you're right…must be like those movies."

"Anyway, it's not like I'm meddling but, what happened to Ayuzawa Misaki-san?" I prompted casually and then walked towards her and placed my hand on her shoulder. "And why do they keep on calling me by her name—even Igarashi calls me that. Do I really look a lot like her?"

Sakura spun around to face me and without hesitation, she nodded. "Yeah, you look like Misaki a lot. You should wear amber contact lenses and show yourself to Takumi—I'm sure he'd be scared shitless."

I'm getting nearer. Sakura's slowly and unconsciously slipping the truth away. I will now know who really planned my death. "Why would he be scared? He should be happy since he's in love with that Ayuzawa."

Sakura shook her head and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "No, it's because…Miyazono-san…the reason why Ayuzawa Misaki died was all because of Igarashi, Takumi and me."

I gulped as I looked straightly into the eyes of my own killer. I smiled at her and excused myself before walking towards my room. I dialed Gerard's phone and luckily, he answered on the third ring.

"Hell—"

"Gerard." I immediately said. "I've confirmed it—Igarashi, Sakura and Takumi are my killer."

-;-

_Chapter five is done :)_

_I hope everyone will like it. _

_Anyway, I fear that I won't be able to update soon because of an arm injury. I got into an accident on the thirty first of July and well, I just really want to make you all happy that's why I've decided to write this one._

_Please review!_

_It will surely make me feel better._

_Love you lots!_

_PP_


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** All recognizable characters belong to Hiro Fujiwara's Kaichou-wa Maid-sama!

**Summary:**With unexpected serpentines, an old love story that was tested by fate, revenge and at the same time prejudice, will the truth behind the lie still prevail?

**A/N:** Hey—I know you want to bite my head off—I apologize for not updating this one and I hope you were patient enough for the update. Thank you—I hope my other stories interest you too. :)

-;-

**Bias**

**Is once again dedicated to:**

All my fanfiction readers

-;-

_She's a splash of secret splendor and seduction.__  
><em>_Plunge yourself in her abstract of lines—her tangles of vines.__  
><em>_Be allured, be enticed... She's a queen of complication, __  
><em>_a poisonous beauty hidden under the webs of pretensions._

_-;-_

_The cruel bond of love  
>I cannot stop it's not the way<br>Regret that comes at the end of love,_

_Finally leaves, but not hatred_

-;-

_At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled__.__**~Marshall B. Rosenberg**_

_-;-_

**Six:**

"A-Ayuzawa Misaki?"

I stop walking, flipped my hair behind my back before glancing at the person who called me. My eyes rounded upon seeing her—she wasn't just some person, she was my Mother. My forehead slightly creased as I tried my best to hide my expression of surprise. Fuck, I wasn't expecting to see her here—what the hell is she doing here in the square? She wasn't supposed to be in here. She was supposed to be in Hokkaido.

"Misaki, dear, was it you my daughter?"

I clenched my fist and tried to hide all emotions before continuing to walk and ignore her. But instead, she rushed to me and grabbed me by the elbow forcing me to face her. "What—"

"Misaki, that was you, right?" she prompted and then proceeded on checking my shoulder. "Wait, you should have a birthmark on your left shoulder…a-and your eyes, it was supposed to be golden brown and you doesn't have a mole in here!" I winced when she pulled my elbow up and checked my forearm. "There was supposed to be a birthmark in here too."

"W-Who are you—what the hell are you doing?" Even I felt the pain as I saw the hurt expression on her face. She was hurt by the things I said to her. My heart did those pained flips and I so badly wanted to throw myself to her—she was my Mother but I don't want her in on my troubles. She needed to be out of this. "What the hell are you doing? And why in the world are you calling me your daughter?"

"Mi-Misaki…"

I flipped my now raven hair trying to look impatient before gazing down at her. "I'm not that girl you're mistaking me to be. I'm Miyazono Maria, okay? If you're done, I'll be taking my leave."

"Misaki—"

"Mom!" I froze upon hearing that familiar voice—it was Suzuna's. There was a catch on my breath as I look at the young lady before me. Suzuna was so beautiful. She became exceptionally beautiful I was mesmerized. And her eyes…they were like mine. She looked up at me who also seemed to be marred by shock and surprise before turning to Mom. "Who're you?"

"Ayu—Miyazono Maria." I introduced, trying to hide my want to see them. "Is she your Mom? Well, I think you she's mistaking me for someone else—her daughter, she said."

"Ah, Misaki-nee." Suzuna mumbled my name with such respect and passion before scrutinizing me with her sure eyes. She then turned to Mom and smiled at her. "Mom, you're doing it again. Didn't you promise me and onee-sama that you'll let her go? Wherever she is, she won't be happy seeing you like this." Her eyes then averted to me and apologetically lowered her down before me. "Sorry for the trouble, miss. My Mom's still a little lost after the disappearance of my elder sister, this won't happen again."

"It better be." I replied and then eyed Mom. She was no longer that blooming woman she was when Ayuzawa Misaki was still alive. She looked tired today. Was she working? Was she suffering because of me? What about Suzuna? Was she having a hard time too coping up with my death? Did Usui and the others inform them of my death—of my fake death?

Politely, Suzuna nodded while tugging Mom by her thin elbow but instead, Mom ripped her grip off hers and then rushed to me and hugged me tightly.

"Mom!" Suzuna half shrieked and then rushed to her too, trying to rip her away from me. "Oh, God, miss, I'm truly sorry about this. Mom, please let go—it's attracting a lot of attention!"

But Mom only hugged me tighter and then started crying.

We are on that situation when Cedric finally arrived. Immediately, he rushed out of the car and walked towards me with huge strides and effortlessly tore me away from Mom. "Miyazono-sama—"

"Don't push her." I instructed him under a glare and then turned back to the still surprise Suzuna and Mom. Maybe, they weren't expecting this. Ayuzawa Misaki doesn't have someone to call her with honorifics and she doesn't have an English guy for a bodyguard. I grabbed something from my bag—my calling card—and then gave it to Suzuna. "You can reach me through that, maybe we can have some tea or dinner together."

Hesitantly, Suzuna accepted the card and then checked it.

I smiled in return. "Don't worry, I'm not a dangerous person—well, that is if you doubt me. Well, can you tell me your name in the least?"

"A-Ayuzawa Suzuna." She murmured shyly and then turned to Mom. "She's my Mom, she's Minako. "

"I'll take that in mind." I assured her and then turned my gaze to the still shock Mom. "Minako-san, I'm Miyazono Maria and I hope we could see each other again. I have lots of free time in my hand and well, if you're free, you can call me. Let's have dinner some other time. And maybe, we can talk about your daughter that you're mistaking me for."

Cedric walked closer to me with his head bowed. "Maria-sama, Gerard-sama is waiting for you now at the hospital. He has something to discuss with you."

"Just a few minutes." I turned back to the two and bowed my head in respect. "Well, I guess I'm off now, my fiancé is waiting for me. I'll see you two some other time."

I walked towards the car where Cedric held the door open for me and then finally closes it. Without thinking, I rolled the tinted windows down and waved goodbye to them when Cedric finally speeds off. When they were finally out of sight, I let out a huge exhale.

Cedric glanced at me through the rearview mirror. "Maria-sama, are they Ayuzawa-sama's family?"

Quietly, I nodded. "Yeah, they were Ayuzawa's family and she had loved them so much."

"I apologize for pushing your Mom away like that." He said serenely. "I thought they were hurting you."

"It's fine." I replied and wore my sunglass which isn't really necessary for the current weather. I fished my phone out of my hand carry and dialed Aoi's phone—he answered on the second ring. "Aoi, it's me. Fill me with details regarding the Ayuzawa family—especially on what happened to them after learning of Ayuzawa Misaki's disappearance. I'll call you later—after dinner…or maybe, let's just have dinner together later."

"Sure, what time will you pick me up?"

I wanted to roll my eyes at that. "Cedric will pick you up by seven and he'll drive you to that restaurant where I'll kill you. Make sure that the informations are all precise. I want to know what happened to Mom, got that?"

With a soft snicker that bubbled on his throat, he nodded. "Roger, boss."

* * *

><p>"What going back to England?"<p>

Gerard exhaled as he held my wrist and pulled me so I'd be sitting next to him. He was pale—too pale that it almost looked unhealthy. There were bruise like things under his eyes as if he was suffering from a broken nose overnight. He flashed me that captivating smile of his and then sighed.

"I need to go back to England for business purposes." He reasoned out which I can't bring myself to believe. "I'll just be staying there for a week or maybe two and then I'll fly back here as soon as possible."

"As soon as possible?" I repeated in sheer disbelief. "Okay, then if that's the case, I'm coming with you. Gerard, you're sick…do you expect me to just stay here and wait for you when you're tiring yourself in England for just some business purposes?"

"Come on, Maria." He was almost pleading. "You don't have to worry, there are great doctors there—far greater than here and besides, you can't come with me."

I arched an eyebrow at him in annoyance. "Why not—why can't I come with you? Are you planning to leave me here now?"

He rolled his beautiful eyes and softly caresses my head. "Why would I leave my best friend? It was all solely for business purpose, okay? I'll fly back here after I'm done."

"You're not answering the question, why can't I come with you?"

Merely, he shrugged and then pulled out a picture of Usui from under his pillow. "Because of this guy—you can't come with me because of this guy. You have a lot of things to accomplish here and you have to make sure that the hotel I gave you is being managed carefully. You're a business woman now and no longer a teacher. Business comes in first and emotion comes in last."

I accepted the picture of Usui and studied his classic face carefully before stuffing it inside my bag. "If I found out that you're having a new best friend in England, I'll fly back there immediately and send you to a hospital."

A laugh bubbled on his throat as he held his stomach and patted my head. "Maria, I won't have any other best friend besides you, okay? Rest assured, you're the only woman in my life."

"Good to hear, when's the flight?"

"Three days from now."

"You really planned this without telling me, didn't you?" I growled at him upon seeing that cunning grin on his lips and then stood up to help myself with some water. "Gerard, you're making my head hurt. I'll send you off to England then and no back talks."

"Yes, boss." When I sat back beside him, Gerard smiled at me thoughtfully. "So, how's your day? Did you have fun strolling around Tokyo? Cedric told me that you met some few acquaintances."

There was the expression of surprise in my eyes upon remembering that I just saw Mom and Suzuna a couple of hours ago. With the glint in my eyes, I turned to Gerard. "Well, kind of. I met Mom and Suzuna and I gave them my calling card and invited them out for dinner and then, I called Aoi to feed me with informations about what happened to them after my disappearance."

"I'm sure they'd mistaken you for your…other self?" when I nodded, he smiled once again. "Well, I wouldn't blame them. Even with the blue eyes, you still exactly look like her."

I turned to glare at him. "Are you discouraging me or what?"

"I was just stating facts." He reasoned and started laughing. "Well, back to my plans of flying back to England, I called Takumi and told him to take care of you—and tour you around here if he have some free time—while I'm gone."

A frown erupted on my brows as I arched an eyebrow at him. "And why in the world did you do that? I can lure Takumi in without your manipulation, Gerard. He'll definitely come to me."

"That's the spirit." He mumbled in a whisper and checks his wristwatch. "Well, didn't you make plans with Aoi tonight? You invited him for dinner, right? I think you should go now while I'll be taking my rest."

"Are you sure you want me to leave already?"

Gerard carefully slid down and lay flat on his back and nodded at me cheerfully. "Yeah, the doctors said that if I want to be discharged until my flight arrives, then I should have plenty of rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Sure thing." I leaned in forward to kiss him on the forehead and finally exited his room but much to my surprise, Takumi was there outside waiting for me. "Uh—Usui, what are you doing here?"

"Ayuzawa, what the—"

"Shut up." I ordered him and casually turned my back on him and softly close the door as to not disturb Gerard. "If you're planning to call me Ayuzawa Misaki again because of the black hair, you're free to walk away."

"Maria, is that you?" there was an edge to his voice as I felt him walk behind me and held my long raven hair. "Why'd you dye your hair black?"

This is what I was telling you, Gerard. Usui Takumi will definitely come to me even without your help—damn, he'd even come even without me calling him. I'll make him so fucking guilty of his sin that even sleep would be impossible because he'll be having nightmares about me. It'll be a painful torture for him—he'll pay because of what they did.

I turned to Takumi and tried to not flinch upon noticing how close he was at me that only a golf ball can slid in between us. Inwardly, I but the inside of my cheek, the two of us, we could have been happy if only he didn't betray me. Hell, I could be happy alone if only he allowed me to go and live on my own with my child. I could be fucking happy and I wouldn't have to resort to this. But Usui didn't allow me to be happy. He wanted me to disappear in this world—he wanted me dead. _They_ wanted me dead.

If only they allowed me to go on my own path—I'd die happily. But they didn't, they all made my life a living hell. They got so absorbed with their powers in the society that they thought disposing a trash like me is a good idea. If only I knew better than trusting them. But no, I won't be turning back now—there is no way I'd back off from them. I won't end this story of revenge—not until they were bowing down before me. Not until they were down in the slums tasting the bitterness of my revenge and anger. Not until I was happy seeing them suffer.

"Ayuzawa…"

"It's Miyazono Maria, dumbass." Takumi blinked twice and upon seeing our close proximity, he immediately back away and then gazed at me through the eyes. I grinned at him. "Mistaking me for your dead ex-girlfriend again? That was stupid of you."

"Why are you doing this?"

"You'll find it out soon." I replied and then fished out my phone from my bag and saw that it was Aoi calling. I grinned and then hit the answer button while staring at Takumi. "Hey there, Aoi, I was just about to leave but I was holdup by someone."

"Holdup by someone?" he asked in sheer disbelief. "What the fu—Ayuzawa, where are you right now?"

I flinched at the loudness of his voice since Takumi might hear him so I immediately change my voice into a menacing tone. "Will you calm down, mister? I was still here in the hospital, idiot. But a guy I barely knew came here and started making a fuss out of my hair mistaking me to be his dead girlfriend."

He paused at that. "Oops, you're planning to kill me now, aren't you?"

"You think you'll be saved?" I secretly stole a glance at Takumi who is now wearing a dark expression before exhaling. "Anyway, I'm off there now; tell Cedric that I'm taking a cab because my car's broken—the dork. I'll see you in…um…" I checked my wristwatch and then smiled as if he could see me. "—thirty minutes if there aren't any traffic?"

"Tell Takumi to drive you here."

I rolled my eyes at that. "Hell no, I'd rather take a long walk than accept a drive from him. Well, I'm hanging up now; I don't want to get late."

"In thirty minutes then, later."

I flipped my phone close and stuffed it back to my bag before turning to Usui. "Well, what the hell are you still standing there for? If you're planning to visit Gerard, then you came in late. He's asleep now and doesn't want to be bothered anymore. Go back home."

"Who's that Aoi you're talking with?"

I fought against the idea of whether telling it to him or not but then, it's not like he'll have a say about it so merely, I shrug. "You don't know Aoi? He's your brother, stupid."

There was a hint of surprise on his eyes and that suspicious look erupted on his brows again. That expression, it was priceless. It was indeed fun seeing Usui Takumi getting his surprises bit by bit—it makes me want to laugh at him. That incalculable expression he had, it was fun seeing that. I wonder what else I could do to make him show that expression.

"Misaki—damn, Maria, why in this world are you doing this?" he asked me in annoyance and then grabbed me by the elbow and slammed me on the wall—making me wince. "Did someone order you to do it? Have you already met Ayuzawa Misaki? And damn it, why did you fucking dye your hair black? Are you doing this on purpose because you know, you're fucking obvious if you're scheming on something."

"Oh, am I fucking obvious?" I flipped my hair behind in effort to make him more annoyed and then grinned at him. "Well, if I was too obvious, then maybe I should make it less noticeable for you so that when I finally decided to attacked, you won't be expecting the impact."

"What?"

"This is what you call sweet revenge, Takumi." I scoffed at him and then pushed him off me before composing myself. "Well, I guess I'm off now to meet your brother—Aoi, I mean. I have a few things to discuss with him."

I walked passed him and tried to control the loud hammering of my heart against my throbbing chest. I maybe angry at him but still, why is it that whenever I'm near him, my heart still aches for him?

Usui Takumi, what did you do to make my heart act like this?

* * *

><p>Aoi and I met at La Bella Italia—a famous Italian restaurant here in the main square in Tokyo—and didn't decide to beat around the bush anymore. Quietly, he handed me a thick brown envelope and another set of folder and then smiled at me.<p>

"The brown one's Minako Ayuzawa and the white one's your sister." He informed me and took a swig from him teacup. "Those are all pictures and a few of the jobs your sister had. Some of them were medical records—"

"Medical records?" I asked and cut him off. "What and whose medical records was it?"

Aoi could merely shrug as he grabbed one paper and showed it to me. "As clear as water, Ayuzawa Suzuna, I think she got admitted to a mental institution or something. The record was dated two years ago too—months after your disappearance."

"What, Suzuna was admitted to a mental institution?" I was practically shouting as I snatched the paper from him and re-read the medical record that was indeed named after Suzuna. "But why? Suzuna's perfectly fine when I saw her awhile ago—why would she be admitted to a mental institution?"

"Nobody really knows about that, Maria." Again, he sipped from his coffee and then pointed out something from the paper. "However, this one was what really puzzles me. Her legal guardian isn't your mother but rather Usui Takumi."

"B-But…what's the meaning of this?" I stuttered and studied the record for any signs of the answer I was looking for. "Depression and self-mutilation? W-why would she try to kill herself?" I turned to Aoi and glared at him sharply. "What the hell's the meaning of all this? You were present here, Aoi. How come you don't have any fucking clue whatsoever of what's going on with my family?"

"Misaki, before you disappear, did you hire me to look after them?" I growled at him to which he merely shrugged off. "You didn't—and besides, I don't know who your family is. I never met them. But I can assure you that Suzuna and your Mom had a place in Takumi's heart. That must be the reason why he became Suzuna's legal guardian. And if ever Suzuna was indeed a victim of self-mutilation, why don't you try asking yourself about that. The reason could be you but you were just so blinded by your anger with my brother that you can't see the truth behind the lie. Don't blame everything on him—you could be at fault too."

"Are you saying that you are now taking his side?"

"You were the one who concluded that." He replied casually while looking away. "Maria…stop changing, okay? I know you have tasted English water but make sure that you indeed came back because of revenge. Have you really assured that it was Takumi and those other two that had killed you?"

I growled at him and gave him the evil eye. "You don't put your nose on that business when I'm not talking about it. For now, what I want you to do is to investigate on this part—" I throw the medical records back to him and placed the payment for our untouched food. "—but if you can't do good on that simple job, then call me tomorrow and give that to me so I could be the one to investigate it. And one more, I don't care whether Suzuna and Mom had a so-called special place in Usui Takumi's heart—I don't have any business with that. Because if ever that was the truth, he wouldn't kill me."

I throw the wad of napkin on the table and then stomped away purposefully bumping the waiter and scowls at him when he apologizes.

Ignoring him, I walked out of the restaurant and entered the car in a hurry where Cedric was the one driving. Through the rearview, he eyed me. "Where to, Maria-sama?"

"Bring me to the ocean where Ayuzawa Misaki died."

"My pleasure, Maria-sama."

"And Cedric…" I looked passed the heavily tinted window and studied the outside world quietly from inside the car before tossing him a picture of Igarashi, Sakura and Takumi. "—make sure that they'd attend the dance party that will be held by Gerard's company. I will be attending the party as Gerard's substitute. Send them the invitations."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And here's more…" I handed him a separate picture of Suzuna and Mom. "Investigate about their background and make sure that all calls from them will be given to me. You know Aoi Usui, right?" when he nodded, I looked out of the window once again. "Dispose him immediately if the need arises. If he becomes a threat to my plans, you know what to do."

* * *

><p><em>Done!<em>

_So, I'm currently working on Cinderella and then Heiress and then this. _

_So, what do you think? I think Misaki's slowly changing in this fic—laughs—she looked really mean and anger was really eating her up whole. _

_I'm excited on what will happen next to the coming chapters._

_Please review, thank you_

_PP_


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** Allrecognizable characters belong to Hiro Fujiwara's Kaichou-wa Maid-sama!

**Summary:****With unexpected serpentines, an old love story that was tested by fate, revenge and at the same time prejudice, will the truth behind the lie still prevail?**

**A/N:** Everything's starting to get a little bit complicated. Why the hell am I in love with literary again?

-;-

**Bias**

**Is once again dedicated to:**

All my fanfiction readers

-;-

_**She's a splash of secret splendor and seduction.**__**  
><strong>__**Plunge yourself in her abstract of lines—her tangles of vines.**__**  
><strong>__**Be allured, be enticed... She's a queen of complication, **__**  
><strong>__**a poisonous beauty hidden under the webs of pretensions.**_

_-;-_

_The cruel bond of love  
>I cannot stop it's not the way<br>Regret that comes at the end of love,_

_Finally leaves, but not hatred_

-;-

_At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled__.__**~Marshall B. Rosenberg**_

_-;-_

**Seven:**

The rain was too heavy today that it almost seemed like I will be blown away.

I asked Gerard to leave me first since I wanted to be alone and ordered him to leave the car—I will be driving home by myself. The beach was uninviting as it greeted me with huge and deadly waves. It seemed as if it was recognizing the girl it had eaten alive two long years ago. Nothing changed much, everything was still the same—but the only difference is that I was stained a lot.

I was stained by the dirts of the past that I cheated death and came back not as Ayuzawa Misaki but rather in the form of the dead Miyazono Maria in order to torture my killers.

I wanted to punch something—or rather someone. But I never recognized myself as a violent type of person so I just clenched my fist tightly. With my thoughts drifting away from me, I removed my heels and slowly walked towards the huge boulder and climbed up so I could watch the huge waves crash against one another.

It was frightening and I shivered upon the memory of me being in those waves cruelly getting pulled down to the depths of the sea. The memory was scary and I could still remember the phobia I've had after Gerard miraculously saved me. I remember myself almost dead. I was bleeding since I had a miscarriage and a few of my ribs were broken. When I was still living inside the dreadful pain, all I thought of was Usui.

Yes, despite the fact that they conspired against me to kill me, I still have thought of him. To be honest, I still had loved him and there wasn't a day that I never thought of him. I thought he could be mine…I thought we could be happy. But then again, those were just childish dreams. We could never be happy. We're just not meant for each other.

I never really wanted to take revenge but after my therapy and after Gerard told me that the baby wasn't alive—the anger rushed through me. I was so angry that time that I could see red. I couldn't even recognize the man who helped me. All I thought was that I needed to get even. I don't want to be the weak girl anymore, I don't want to be the main protagonist anymore who is kind enough to not fight back—what I want is to be the main antagonist. I wanted them all dead—especially Usui and then, when everything's finally done, I'll walk back to the ocean where my little angel had fallen and then be with her so that she wouldn't be alone anymore.

There were just so many thoughts inside my head. If I could bring Usui, Sakura and Igarashi with me to hell, then I'd be happy—it was worth the suffer. Demons can repeatedly beat me up and remind me of the pain I've experienced when I met the three of them but I could still be happy because I manage to drag the other three with me. If those three are with me, then maybe, hell wouldn't be that bad.

I've lived on with my life and fight off depression while carrying those kinds of reasons inside my head. And then, I've told Gerard everything and although he was reluctant at first, he agreed with my plans. I didn't want to drag him with this but he insisted and told me that he'd like to watch me avenge Ayuzawa Misaki's death by impersonating Miyazono Maria—her dead girlfriend.

He told me a lot of things about her, teach me table manners and thought me how Maria-san acts. She was a masterpiece—too beautiful that I was hesitant to impersonate her. But Gerard said that it'd be fine—we're together on this anyway.

I was wondering why he was helping me but then, I thought that it doesn't matter. If he was using me for his own plans against Usui whatsoever, then it's fine—I'm using him anyway. I was so blinded by my anger and biasness that all my reasons became clouded. I was too angry—too consumed of my hatred for everyone that was involve on my suffering that I always dreamt of making them suffer as well. I'd laugh over pathetic people, act mean to those who acts superior and established a wall between me and to those people who was trying to befriend me. The thoughts inside my head were all about Usui—of how will he react upon seeing me, of how will he accept the fact that I wasn't the girl he used to know and of how he would cope up with the fact that he will be going down.

There was just pure anger.

And it felt like, the anger was too much for me to handle that if my body was a container, it wouldn't be enough to hold them all. I've loved Usui Takumi—I've loved him too much to the point that I was willing to give him everything. I was willing to give up everything for him. But that love is one sided—like any other guys, he was also after one thing. And after he's done with me, he disposed of me faster than two seconds.

Once Gerard had asked me, aren't I being bias? But then, I just laughed at him. Me, bias, that was the stupidest thing he ever said. Being bias is rightful. Being bias is a rightful act to those people who had abused that one sided love given to them. They needed to be punished. They needed to be condemned. They should suffer the way the people they oppressed had been oppressed by them.

They were human trash that needed to be disposed off by the society.

They should—

"Ayuzawa!"

I froze at that as I straightened up my back and immediately looked around me. Who could that be? There should be no one here in the beach because of the bad weather. No one would dare come here to swim if the waves were these deadly.

I spun around when I saw a glimpse of dark blonde and there I saw Usui standing near the bay. His hair was disheveled due to the heavy wind and well, even at such distance, I could clearly see the distorted expression he was wearing. He was stammering near the ocean—as if he was searching for something…or rather someone.

Could he be the one to call me? He isn't seeing me in here, right?

"Ayuzawa…" he yelled again loudly—but this time, it was as if he was in agony. There was clear pain in his voice as he spoke of my name. There was passion but I knew better than being deceived. I won't play dumb anymore. "Ayuzawa…come back here! Don't run to those huge waves."

My forehead creased at that. What in the world was he talking about?

"Ayuzawa…" he mumbled lowly but still enough for me to hear. "—please, don't leave me…all alone."

Slowly, I stood up and was all prepared to leave him when he suddenly started to remove his shoes. He was loosening the buttons of his dress shirt and slowly engaged against the raging current.

"Fuck, Usui Takumi!"

There was an edge on my voice as I roughly jumped out of the boulder down to the angry waves that seemed like it had divided the water in order to welcome me back to where I once had belonged.

I pushed myself as I propped up since I was still on a shallow part and charge against Usui who was far from me. He seemed in a daze—like he was missing something. I couldn't allow him to die, that was what's in my head. He can't die—he still needed to suffer. I would still make him fucking suffer along with Sakura and Igarashi.

The waves hit me strong against the face that I slumped down against a sharp rock causing my thin skin to be cut. It bled profusely but I ignored it. Usui was all over my head. He needed to be alive. Sure I want him dead but that was what I thought when I was still seething with anger. Gerard changed those reasons now. He said that death is a gift for those people who needed to rest now. Usui doesn't have any rights to rest—he needed to fucking suffer.

"Usui!" I called out loudly as I stood up and ignored the sharp stinging sensation on my eyes. It must be my contact lenses—they must be awfully dirtied by the saltwater now. I rushed to him again as if I was almost crawling since the waves are now up to my thighs. He wasn't looking at me.

He was in a fucking daze.

Damn it, Usui, don't you play like a nut head on me. I pushed myself against him as the current grew stronger but it only seemed like he was more distant than what I've thought. Damn, I don't want him dead. He shouldn't be dead. He couldn't die. With all the determination left on me, I run towards him with impossible speed although I keep falling a lot and getting crashed against rocks and finally, I clutched onto his dress shirt and tugged him towards me before heaving a deep sigh of relief and slapping the shit out of him which seemed to have an effect.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, you fucked up bastard!" I yelled loudly and tugged him back towards the shallow part of the angry ocean. I was shivering and Usui not minding to move on his own was making everything much worse.

When he didn't snapped out of his trance, I slapped him once again and grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Snap out of it, you bastard! Why the hell are you making everything fucking worse! If you die, I'm going to hate you more!"

He wasn't talking; he was just gazing at me—gazing through me. It was as if he was out of his mind. I wanted to punch him or slapped him but I couldn't dare do it. Either way, he still wouldn't budge. His expression was blank as if he had lost something very precious to him and it was as if he has already given up.

Slowly, I reached up to his face and gently caressed his pale cheeks—tears slid down my cheek as I gazed back at him. "Usui…don't give up on…on me—on Ayuzawa Misaki."

That made the color of his eyes lightened up and slowly, a surprise expression appeared on his face. He was back to normal.

I placed both my hands on his now reddening cheeks due to the cold weather. A woman's heart is an ocean full of secrets…but it could also be an ocean full of anger and hatred. But you know, a woman is still a woman. And a woman becomes a better person once she conceives a child. A woman gives all of her without caring about her sake because when she loves…she just loves. She doesn't asks for anything in return.

"M-Maria…your eyes…they are so red."

The saltwater might have dirtied the contacts too much. He was back to normal. Thank God…he was back to my normal Usui Takumi—he was now my Takumi.

A woman can never be angry for too long. Because you know, no matter how angry she could be to another person—especially to that one guy she had loved—still, the fact that she loves him wouldn't change.

"Takumi…" I murmured as I grabbed his collar tighter and then pulled him towards me and sealed his slightly opened mouth with a chaste kiss. "I'm sorry…I love you."

* * *

><p>"You're not allowed to wear contact lenses for a week."<p>

I wanted to roll my eyes but the pain inside it made me decide not to. I remained quiet as I wore the glasses instead and nodded. "Thanks Cedric, I never knew you were a doctor."

"I was always worried at Gerard-sama that's why I decided to study basic medicine in the least." He handed me a glass of cold water before pointing out to the unconscious guy on my couch. "So, what are we going to do with him—I'm sure he has already realized who you are."

"No, I'm sure he hasn't." I replied—although I was also doubtful by myself. "But even if he had, I could care less. Everything was all set to be known anyway…Gerard and I are just waiting for the right time."

"Is the right time awhile ago?" when I didn't respond, he looked away and then took the glass from me. "Should I inform Gerard-sama of this? That Takumi-sama is here in your place?"

Quietly, I nodded. "Yeah, tell him that he was here and tell him everything from the start—I want Gerard well informed of everything that's going on. Go now, I'll deal with Usui on my own. Thanks for everything…Cedric."

He didn't respond anymore as he silently strides out of my living room and exited from the front door—shutting the door close behind him.

I exhaled and removed my eyeglasses before turning to the still sleeping Usui. I leaned in towards him and studied his sallow face which seemed to be marred by deep pain and suffering. Without thinking, I scowl at myself. Why the hell did I told him that I love him anyway? Was it because all those times that I was acting out as Miyazono Maria, I was also trying to suppress my feelings for him? Was it because Ayuzawa Misaki had loved Usui Takumi so much that whatever kind of anger she had for him, she'd still love him in the end?

Ayuzawa Misaki is plain stupid.

I touched my lips and then touched his and then, I looked away. This plan…aside from revenge, what else am I really after? At the core of all anger is a need that is not fulfilled. Could it be that I was just hoping—still hoping—that Usui would love me because he never loved me then as Ayuzawa Misaki?

Could it be that I wasn't loved?

Did he really didn't loved me back then? Was he really just after one thing? Does he really thought that I was easy to manipulate that's why he played with my heart? While he was giving me those promises and I carelessly believed him…did he laugh at me with Sakura? Was I that easy to them?

Is my anger…only because I wasn't loved? Did I just use the fact that my little angel had died so I could have reasons to get even with him?

Is the core of all this anger was because Usui never loved me?

Wait…did he really never loved me?

Or maybe he had showed it but I was too blinded by anger that all my sense of reasoning was clouded? Am I directing my anger to the wrong person?

The idea had struck me. Was I…was I really directing this anger to the wrong person? All this time…am I really making the wrong person suffer?

Usui moved under my careful gaze and slowly, his lids fluttered as he glanced my way. His eyes had that dizzy look and he immediately sat up which only made him a lot dizzier. I rolled my eyes as I looked away and stood up before grabbing my eyeglass and wore it. I walked towards the dining table, poured water on a glass and handed it to him.

He looked at me under those suspicious eyes of his and once again, I rolled my eyes. "Do you really think that I'd stoop that low to the point of poisoning you just to get even? I'm not stupid, Usui."

"I was just checking." He grumbled and then accepted the glass and taking a swift quaff from his water but then, I froze when he froze and then he stood up and grabbed me both by the shoulders.

I scowl at him. "What the hell's your problem?"

"Why the hell am I here?" he asked in sheer frustration and then froze once again upon seeing his reflection on the mirror. Well, he wasn't wearing anything except the white pajamas Cedric had bothered putting him on. He glowered at me at that. "Why am I naked—where are my clothes?"

I wanted to roll my eyes if only it wasn't aching so I turned my back on him and walked towards the dining table. "Well, be thankful that Cedric had even dare bother to put something on you. I would have prepared you to wear those stupid wet clothes and have you died due to high fever than have you wear Gerard's pants."

He looked at the pants then looked up at me. "T-This are my brothers'?"

"That belongs to your stepbrother." I corrected him and then scratched the back of my head and finally turned to him. "So, are you okay now? Are you still feeling dizzy or what? I've sent your clothes to the dry cleaners so you could have something clean to wear…in the meantime, wear that."

He checked his pants again and sighed. "Why am I wearing only sweatpants?"

I wanted to roll my eyes at him but then, the pain in my eyes started to attack me again. "Do you think Gerard loves to leave dress shirts or tees in here? That's the only one that he forgot to bring. Be thankful that your stepbrother can be forgetful sometimes."

"Don't you have any huge tees?"

I gazed at him like he just spoke pig Latin. But then, an idea suddenly crossed my head. I smiled at him and then walked towards my room and rummaged through my closet where I hid those sweatshirts he used to bring to my house two years ago. It was dangling on my left point finger as I threw it at his face to which he had caught swiftly.

Upon seeing it, his eyes rounded. "This…this shirt…"

"What?" I scoffed loudly and flipped my long hair on my back. "—that tee belongs to Gerard when he still used to sneak to my apartment back in England through the window. He really looked stupid that time since he was carrying flowers, wines and chocolates and—"

"There was this guy I know…" Usui cut me off and then slumped down back to the couch and washed his hands over his face as if he was trying to remember the lost memory. "—he was very much in love with this girl…that I also know. They were great friends. In fact, they were best of friends that they already know what each other were thinking with just one look. That guy…he had always, always loved that girl. Although both of them were committed to different relationships…their hearts are only for each other."

A slight frown appeared on my brows as I stare at him…that love story he was retelling…I think I've heard of that one before—no, I think I know that.

He looked up at me and smiled. "Sorry about that, I just suddenly remem—"

"Continue that story." I interrupted him and then sat down in front of him. "I want to hear it."

Usui gazed at me as if I just spoke pig Latin before proceeding. "That guy…he really like the girl but his friend was the girl's boyfriend and he was committed to someone else too. He treasures the girl so much that he was willing to give up everything for her—even his friendship with her boyfriend, well, that's because he thought that his best friend doesn't deserve the girl he likes. You see, he was always beating her up. Whenever some guy approaches her, he'd think that the girl was cheating on him and he'd hit her.

"There was one time when the girl would arrive at the guy's unit and beg him to stay there for the night because she was afraid that her boyfriend will come to her apartment and beat her again. The guy—liking her so much—was always more than willing to help her. He'd treat her wounds and bruises and knock some sense on her. But the girl was stubborn. Even if he had already confessed to her and even if she already admitted to that she likes him back, she still can't break up with her current boyfriend. Even if he was always hurting her…she still thinks of him—she doesn't want to hurt him. She doesn't want their friendship to be severed.

"Until the beating became so often that she was almost dying. There were belt whip marks on her skin and she was covered in bruises—he was fucking maltreating her." There was anger on Usui's voice as he spoke of that. His fists were clenched tightly that I fear his skin might break and he'd be hurt…he'd be hurt like I was two years ago. "The guy finally decided to join in on the situation and made love with that girl. For him, he was happy because he had finally had her—there is no way the girl could come back to that guy again. It was the happiest moment for her and he thought of surprising her by proposing to her. He had loved her so much it doesn't matter if his reputation will be placed in line. All he thought was that he loves her so much he'd give up even his life for her."

There was bliss on Usui's face as if he was experiencing the same joy the guy he was talking about had experienced too. It was like if there was a chance, he'd want to experience it over and over again. But then, the bliss was changed by anger—by sadness. It had completely disappeared on his face.

"But then, she found out of his unfaithfulness—well, that was what she thought." Once again, there was anger on his face and he was clenching his fist tightly and his face was blushing furiously. "She caught him with his current girlfriend but it was all a setup. His girlfriend planned everything and he walked right straight into the trap as well as the girl he had loved so much. So immediately, she broke up with him and hid the fact that she was pregnant. Of course, he wanted her back and he followed her almost everywhere…until one day…" he trailed off and then he looked up at me. His face was grave—sad, angry. "He just found out that she disappeared."

There was a catch on my breathing. What did he just said? He just found out that she disappeared? He was lying…right? He was obviously lying. There is no way he's clueless of what happened to me. He was the one who planned this all…right?

Fuck, why am I being unsure of this?

"There was a dead body found by the ocean two weeks after that and besides, there were signs of abduction and trespassing in her house. Even the police couldn't connect everything. But the only thing inside the guy's head was that, he was suspecting his friend behind all those because she had broke up with him. He informed the girl's family and they were very angry at him. But you know, he understands them. Ever since she met the three of them, her life became hell."

I looked away due to the intensity of his gazed. It was like, I was crumbling. He had realized the things I was thinking all these time. He himself had also thought that way. He was fucking stupid. He was fucking stupid.

"So her family was angry but the one mostly affected was her little sister." He then took something from his wallet and showed me a picture of the girl he was talking about with her sister and mom. It was me, Suzuna and Mom—the three of us. "She went into depression and repeatedly tried to kill herself so the guy was left with no choice but to give her proper treatment by locking her away to a mental institution and became her legal guardian because her Mom was also recovering from mental therapy. They weren't able to accept her…her death.

"And so, the guy tried to look for her even if he had already known that she won't be coming back. He searched everywhere…everywhere as long as it has ocean. The girl he loved couldn't swim so there was a possibility that she was murdered in the ocean. And according to some reports, her wallet was found somewhere by the bay as well as her house slippers. She was identified and now, there was a huge possibility that she drowned along with her child—along with our child."

I looked up at Usui from the picture and gazed again at my own reflection. "Is she…Ayuzawa Misaki?"

Solemnly, Usui nodded. "Yeah, that was her…and the guy I was talking about was me."

I gave him back the picture and sighed. "Well, if you had loved her so much, then why did you agree to marry Sakura? You're being unfaithful to her."

Usui just smirked at me and kept the picture to his wallet. "You talked as if you already know me. You just know my name, Maria, not my whole story. It was just an engagement. I'll break it off soon. I thought I could forget her but turns out I can't. It's like…I couldn't love another girl but her. It was like…I wouldn't be complete without her. Although two years had already passed…I feel like she was still alive and is watching over me." he throw a bland gaze on me and merely shrugged. "Well, maybe that was just because you arrived and made my head go crazy."

I wanted to scoff at him but once again, he cut me off.

"Up to now, I was still searching for her." He mumbled. "On those two years that had passed, there wasn't a day that I never thought of Ayuzawa. She was everything to me and I swear, I wasn't just after one thing like any other guy. I love Ayuzawa. I know that while she was drowning, she was loathing me and I will accept that. And if ever I die…and I'll see her again, and then she decides to knock me down to hell…I would've accepted that. If she's happy in heaven with our child, and if it would make her happy seeing me suffer in hell, then I would accept everything. Because you know, what she deserves is pure happiness. She never experienced happiness while she was still alive."

He was so sure that I died. But then, there wasn't any trace of lie in his voice. Usui wasn't one to lie. He isn't much of a liar and I could clearly sense it if he was lying to me. Was he really speaking of the truth? Did he really not conspire with Sakura and Igarashi on my death? Or worst, is Sakura even a part of this?

All this time…was I really directing this anger to the wrong people?

* * *

><p>"It was a surprise for you to call me, Miyazono-san, I heard about the hair dyeing from Sakura, what can I do for you?"<p>

I sipped from my tea—checking the hotness of the sweet liquid—before smiling at Igarashi Tora and then grabbed a picture from my bag before handing it to him. It was a picture of Ayuzawa Misaki—of me.

His expression turned pale as he looked up at me. "I-Is this you?"

"Does she looked like me?" I asked him back and smiled again. "Well, Takumi had given that picture to me and had told me stories about her—I heard you were also involved with Ayuzawa-san, my look alike."

Igarashi sipped from his tea shakily before looking away. "Yeah, I was a friend of hers when she was still alive."

When she was still alive…"A friend? I thought you were the dead girl's boyfriend."

His expression darkened even more as he growled at me—a sign that he was reciprocating with my actions. "Why are you asking about that girl? Are you a lawyer now Miyazono-san?"

I laughed even more as I gently slapped his hand and then took a small bite from the chocolate cake in front of me and wiped my lips off of cake crumbs before turning to him and smiling wickedly again. "Do you want me to become a lawyer, Igarashi-kun?" I paused at the expression he was giving me so once again; I gave him a menacing grin. Grabbing the tea from beside me, I spilled it to him purposefully with all anger. "I should have done that two years ago."

"What—" immediately, he stood up and grabbed a napkin to wipe the liquid off his expensive suit. He growled at me. "What in the world are you doing, Miyazono—"

"Miyazono?" I repeated and started to laugh, "I think you're mistaking on the name." I smiled at him and then removed the sunglasses—finally revealing him the real color of my eyes. "It's not Miyazono Maria, Igarashi-kun, it's Ayuzawa Misaki."

The expression he was wearing was far from better. He turned pale and then, slowly, his color averted into disgusting green as if he got dizzy upon seeing me. I smiled even more.

"Sit down, Igarashi." I ordered him and sensing the threat on my voice, he obeyed me obediently. "Very good, you've become disgustingly obedient. Mind telling me who changed your ugly personality?"

He calmed his palpitating heart first before staring at me in extreme fright. "A-Ayuzawa…y-you're alive?"

I giggled at his stupid statement and took another bite from the cake in front of me. "Whoa, you seemed surprise by that. Yes I'm alive because you failed to kill me, am I getting this right so far?" I eyed his frightened figure and then placed my hands under my jaw. "You look frightened, Igarashi-dear. Are you wishing that it was just a dream? I can pinch you if you want to wake up if you want."

"Y-You shut the hell up." he hissed at me through gritted teeth.

The corners of my lips tugged upwards to form an annoyed smile as I grabbed the glass of water this time and spill it right on his face. "You shut the hell up, Igarashi and don't you ever, ever order me again. You should be thankful that I didn't go to the police yet to inform them of your attempted murder. I had a lot of influential people in my hands, Igarashi. I can order them to put you in jail for the rest of your fucking life and make you beg for me. I can do that now so you better not act that way in front of me again, you got that?"

He bit his lip as he looked away and clenched his fist tightly. "A-Ayuzawa…what do you want? You already have everything. You're alive and you're engaged to be married to England's most influential person—"

"Those are just worldly wants, Igarashi." I mumbled and flipped my hair in impatience. "—you're asking me what I want? Well then, let me be frank…what I want is you."

His forehead creased at that. "M-Me?"

"Yeah," I nodded while smiling wickedly at me. "I want your life."

"What! What are you planning to do—"

"Make another noise and I will take away everything you have." I interrupted him and grinned when he heed to my orders again. "But first, what I want is for you to keep this thing a secret. If this leaks…I swear to God that you'll wake up inside a coffin—literally. Don't you play fucking cunning with me, Igarashi—I won't kill you because I will definitely want to make you suffer in my hands first. If you ever try saying this to Usui and Sakura or with my family, I swear, you better start writing your will now."

He shivered at the coldness of my voice and to my intense happiness, he nodded.

"Very good." I mumbled and then wiped my lips again from cream stains. "Well, this was just a warning but I assure you that there is more to come. So, I guess I'll be seeing you later and I looked forward to see you suffering." I placed the payment for our food and then throw a wad of napkin on his face before standing up. "And oh, I almost forgot…if you didn't dare attend the dance party for the acknowledgement of our group here in Japan, I'll destroy you." I raised an eyebrow at his scared expression and grinned in amusement. "You won't get away with what you did to me and to my baby."

I finally walked out of the restaurant and entered the car where Cedric was patiently waiting for me.

He gazed at me from the rear mirror. "How did it went, ma'am?"

Merely, I shrugged. "He was stiff scared, Cedric. Drive me over at Gerard's—I have a few things to settle with him."

"Gladly, mistress."

I wore back my sunglasses which isn't really necessary for the weather before leaning back on the leather seats. I closed my eyes while my thoughts drifted off to Usui Takumi and Gerard Walker.

-;-

_This was done, at last. _

_Well, I hope you'd review and read all of my stories even if I was having a real hard time updating them. Sorry and thank you :)_

_PP_


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** Allrecognizable characters belong to Hiro Fujiwara's Kaichou-wa Maid-sama!

**Summary:****With unexpected serpentines, an old love story that was tested by fate, revenge and at the same time prejudice, will the truth behind the lie still prevail?**

**A/N:** Everything's starting to get a little bit complicated. Why the hell am I in love with literary again?

-;-

**Bias**

**Is once again dedicated to:**

All my fanfiction readers

-;-

_**She's a splash of secret splendor and seduction.**__**  
><strong>__**Plunge yourself in her abstract of lines—her tangles of vines.**__**  
><strong>__**Be allured, be enticed... She's a queen of complication, **__**  
><strong>__**a poisonous beauty hidden under the webs of pretensions.**_

_-;-_

_The cruel bond of love  
>I cannot stop it's not the way<br>Regret that comes at the end of love,_

_Finally leaves, but not hatred_

-;-

_At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled__.__**~Marshall B. Rosenberg**_

_-;-_

**Eight:**

"Hello, it's nice to see you…again."

Suzuna glanced up at me and her eyes rounded upon seeing me. Instead, she looked around her and then pointed out herself with uncertainty. "M-Maria…sama?"

I wanted to laugh as I walked towards her and nodded. "You don't have to call me that—only those people who are working under me can call me that. Just call me Maria since…we're friends now. May I ask where your mother is?"

"Oh, Mom…" she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at me in uncertainty. She must be a little stiff because she was seeing her older sister on me. "—right now, Mom's currently at the hospital because of stress. My…brother is with her."

_Brother? _"Y-You have a brother? W-Who's he?"

"Um…it might sound unbelievable because he's a little famous around Japan but…my legal guardian as of now is Usui Takumi-nii." She scratched the back of her head which messed her braided hair even more before. She squared her shoulders since she was carrying such heavy paper bags before lowering her head before me. "I-I'm sorry, Maria…sama…I'm in a hurry right now. My Mom and Takumi-nii is waiting for me by the hospital."

"I-Is that so?" I flipped my raven hair on my back and then called out Cedric's attention to which he heeded immediately. "Cedric, please drive Suzuna-san and I to where her mother is currently confined. I want to see Minako-san. Is that all right with you, Suzuna?"

Hesitantly, she nodded at my question. "W-Well, if that is fine with your schedule…then I guess its fine. Mom would be very happy to see you."

"That's great." I nodded at Cedric while he rushed to Suzuna and took her grocery from her and placed it inside the trunk of our car. He then opened the door for the two of us while I allowed Suzuna to enter ahead of me. We sped off after that and she was very quiet on the way. "Your mother must have loved you so much, Suzuna-san."

She blushed at the slightest and I thought that it was really very pretty of her—blushing suits her so much. "Well, you could say it like that, Maria-sama. But my Mom loved my older sister very much than she had loved me. Well, no offense to my sister but that was the truth and I've never felt any jealousy towards her. You see, my sister is very easy to love and I was thinking that if the two of us didn't become siblings, I still would've loved her more than I would have loved myself."

Inwardly, I smiled at Suzuna's thoughtfulness. Maybe…it wasn't really Takumi's fault that she was locked away in a mental institution. Aoi's right…I was at fault for her suffering—for her and Mom's suffering.

"Why don't you tell me things about your sister…what's her name again?"

"Misaki…she was Ayuzawa Misaki." There was bliss on Suzuna's tone as she spoke of her name—of my name. "She was a teacher and even her students love her so much. She was kind and well, she was very caring. But then, when Igarashi-kun appeared in her life, it became thwarted. She was suffering from him because according to what Takumi-nii was telling me, he was beating her up. Back then, Takumi-nii wanted me to knock some sense on her so she'd break up with her violent boyfriend but you see, my sister is kind of stupid. She said she doesn't want to hurt Igarashi-kun even if he was physically maltreating her.

"After her disappearance, Igarashi-kun lost communication with us too. He just disappeared like a bubble like my sister. Mom was really angry at him and to Takumi-nii as well that's why Takumi-nii did his best to gain Mom's trust again—he was a kind person and I'm very much happy to introduce you to him. I'm sure he'll be surprise once he sees you, Maria-sama."

I smiled at her and then looked ahead the road in front of us. "Really, am I really a complete replica of your sister?"

"Yeah," she nodded solemnly and pointed out the mole under my cheek. "—if only you didn't have a mole underneath your eyes and if only your eyes were the color of amber. Onee-chan's eye color is amber and she doesn't have any mole underneath her eyes like you do."

"Is that so…then I wished I have had met your sister while she was still…you know, alive." I smiled again when Cedric finally skidded into a full stop and swiftly got out of the car and opened the passenger's door to let us out. "Well, Suzuna-san, sorry to disappoint you but I forgot that I have errands to run for awhile. Maybe, after my work, I'll visit your Mom and then you can introduce me to Usui Takumi-kun. I'm looking forward on seeing you again."

"That's very sad to hear, Maria-sama." but still, politely, Suzuna lowered her head before me and smiled at me thoughtfully. "I'm looking forward on seeing you again, Maria-sama. When you have free time, you are more than welcome to visit Mom. You'll hear lots of interesting stories from her about my sister."

"Then I guess I better finish my work now so I could see you and your Mom." I nodded at Cedric as he handed Suzuna's groceries back to her and then opened the passenger door once again. "I'll send him some flowers and I hope for her fast recovery soon, so…I guess I'll see you later?"

"Yes, thank you very much for the ride, Maria-sama." She bowed her head once again and smiles at me affectionately.

I wanted to hug her but I restrained myself from doing so or else my façade would be revealed. So instead, I smiled at her affectionately and entered the car while Cedric immediately sped off.

"Maria-san," he began while glancing at me from the rear mirror. "Suzuna-san must have loved you so much. And I think that Misaki Ayuzawa was indeed a kind person back then."

_Back then…_is it because my personality is warped now that's why I can no longer go back as being Ayuzawa?

Will I be hiding behind Maria Miyazono's shadow forever? The answer is within me, right?

I can definitely go back as being Ayuzawa Misaki whenever I want and be happy once I finally made those people who killed me suffer, right? And then, I'll live with Mom and Suzuna and the three of us can go back as being family again, right? That dream is still possible, right?

Ayuzawa Misaki…did you really die two years ago? Is the love you have for Usui Takumi also died along with you and your baby?

.

"Igarashi Tora already knows that you're Ayuzawa Misaki? That's funny…how did he react?"

There weren't any words that could describe what and how I've felt as I floated dying by the ocean. It wasn't very much a pleasant feeling—I mean, heck, who would love it when they suffered the most inhuman way of dying which is, if it wasn't obvious enough, drowning. I hated the water that's why swimming never became a hobby for me. In fact, I have avoided everything that has something to do with swimming—lakes, rivers, and pools… oceans.

I hated it that much not even for once I dreamed of living near it.

Until I was forced on its sandy shoreline and was swallowed whole no matter how much I tried to fight back. And wherever I go, there would always be the sight of beaches. And all the more it serves as a bad reminder of how difficult and hellish my life had become. Never once had I desired to forget. Memories are what we call as information—a reminder—to remind us and taught us what we should learn so we'd know the next move once we step into the cruel world of the future.

Ours is a love unforgotten. There were good memories and bad ones. But was it really normal for me to only be reminded of the good parts when, even if what we are doing spells unfaithfulness towards out partners, we felt as happy as any normal couple? Why do I still have a small amount of sympathy left for those people? I should be mad, right? I should be angry. I should be anything but affectionate. I shouldn't be sympathizing with Takumi's agony. I should be mad at him because he played with my heart along with the others. I should be hateful. I should be loathing.

I should be bias—one-sided.

So, why? Why am I still under Usui Takumi's control? Why does my heart still ache for him? Why do I still want to be trapped in his steel arms? Why in the world am I still affected by his pain? Why could I still feel his agony? Why do I hate it when he resents and blames himself for my death?

Why am I still in love with him? Why can't I just simply drown that kind of emotion on the ocean where I was nearly killed? Why? Why, why, why, why, why?

Why couldn't I be bias? Why couldn't I be one-sided? Why can't my heart just turn into a cold block of ice so I would have to feel this kind of distracting emotions anymore?

Why do I love Usui Takumi so much?

"I know that expression."

I snapped my eyes back at Gerard as he stride inside the living room with Cedric trailing behind him. Instead of an attendant, he was carrying a silver tray with teacups, teapot and snacks on it. He placed it down the center table and took the single seat across my seat before giving me a smile. His legs were crossed while his hands were clasped together on his lap. Gerard gave me his all-knowing stare while I simply looked out to the overview of his pad and fixed my gaze in there.

"I thought I could be as hard as a rock." I finally had the guts to say. "I thought… my child's death is enough to feed my destructive anger… but I guess I was wrong."

Gerard still had a smile plastered on his face upon I said that because he knew that our little play is coming to an end. There were repercussions for both of us, of course, but we both knew that revenge would never be able to solve anything. We were blinded by anger and rage that there weren't any room now for reasoning… and now, both of us are suffering the ramifications of our deeds. Because by doing this revenge thing… we made ourselves look like we are of the same level as those who wronged us.

He turned to Cedric and nodded at him. "Go get that thing, Ceddy."

"Hai, Gerard-sama." He lowered his head down on both Gerard and I—a well-distinguished courtesy between men and women that originated in their homeland before disappearing into the shadows of Gerard's huge pad.

Gerard turned back to me. "No wonder I've recognized that expression of yours, Maria. It is an expression of surrender. You wanted to end this game now, that was too obvious."

"I've told Igarashi Tora about my identity—he was pretty shock. I wouldn't even doubt that he nearly wet himself since he was too shaken to speak properly." I thanked him when he offered me a cup of tea—Maria's favorite brand—and drank it gingerly. I never really like Darjeeling. I prefer Yellow Label than this too luxurious-tasting tea. It is far too good to match my simple tastes. A crevice formed into my heart at the sudden reminder of Usui Takumi and the moments when we used to share that same brand of tea using the same cup.

"_I was wondering why I feel too easy when I'm with you."_

"_That's quite a controversial statement, Ayuzawa-sensei. Maybe it's because you prefer me more than you prefer your supposed boy fiend."_

"_That's really funny."_

"You were still suffering, weren't you, Maria?" Gerard asks once again, interrupting me from being completely reminded by the past. "You still love my stepbrother—that much was obvious."

"Thank you for stating the obvious when I very much need it the least."

He chuckled at that but there was an edge to it before he drops his gaze on his hand and tightly balls it into a fist.

"Because right from the start, you already know that this plan would fail. You were raised to be affectionate, Maria. Not like this—not revengeful, not hateful… not bias. You love my brother. Period."

_Then why? Our love is a pure emotion… so why must we suffer such a great deal of pain? _

"What's stopping you, Maria, tell me so I could help you." He stood from his chair and took the open space beside me before gathering my hands. "I want to help you. I already made that clear from the very beginning, didn't I?"

"I made this mess myself, Gerard. So, I want to be the one to put an end to it." I held his hands too, familiarizing myself with his comforting warmth before I pulled my hand back and stared out to the overview. "Let me put an end to everything, Gerard. Do not involve yourself anymore in my mess."

There was a long period of silence that surrounded both of us before he composed himself again and went back on his seat the exact moment Cedric arrived carrying a thick manila envelop and handed it out to him. My forehead creased. If that thing contains money, I swear I'm gonna hit him. With a smile plastered on his lips, Gerard opened the envelope and checked out something inside it before closing the lid once again.

My forehead creased in confusion when he pushed the envelope towards my direction. "All your life you've been searching for answers about what happened in your past. Everything you wanted to know is inside that envelope, I'm giving it to you."

"You researched on this." I accused, hurt because he didn't informed me about this action when I was informing him of my every move.

Gerard nodded; not looking the least bit guilty. "I got everyone, including your family investigated regarding this matter, Maria. The answers you wanted—including news about what happened with your family—are all inside that envelope."

I stared at the thick piece of brown material before me and slowly reached out for it, tracing it's lid that was previously held by Gerard—and probably many other people too seeing the state wherein it looked as if many people had handled it. I look back up at him again. "Why didn't you inform me about this?"

"Because I wanted to surprise you."

"_And what in the world is this?"_

"_It's an hourglass. I found it in an antique shop during my trip to Paris. One day, I'd bring you there so we could enjoy the city during night."_

"_One day… you mean, along with the two others."_

"_No. Just the two of us."_

"…_Why?"_

"_Because I wanted to surprise you."_

"_Of what?"_

"_Aren't you going to ask me why I bought you an old hourglass for a souvenir instead of something expensive?"_

"_Because I know that you know that I'd just probably end up stashing it inside my closet and hide it there until it gets seedy and old."_

"_I'm serious."_

"_Okay. So, why did you buy me this kind of thing instead of expensive things?"_

_Takumi got the hourglass and turned it upside down so that the brown sand was falling down like waterfall to the bottom. "Because this way, we could go back to the times when nothing else is complicated between us."_

"Maria, are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

I look back up at Gerard again, and lock my gaze back to the envelope before me. "Would this news shock me?"

"It depends on what you know."

"I don't know what I should believe in anymore, Gerard. Everything is so confusing. What should I do? I keep on remembering things from our past—things I wanted to forget because the more I remember, the more it gets harder for me to contain my anger—"

"It's not anger, Maria." He cut me off with that usual all-knowing expression plastered on his face. "It's because you love him so much that you were getting confused by your feelings. Tell me, Maria—the truth, please. I'm demanding for it. What's stopping you from revealing your true identity to Takumi when you've easily revealed it to Igarashi Tora?"

I looked down on the glass table laid out before me. "I… I don't know."

"Face it, Maria… you're still in love with Takumi. You can't just admit it because you're still fearful of what the past had done on both of you. You already confirmed it yourself: Takumi and Sakura Hanazono didn't have a hand on you death."

"I don't know."

_"Misaki, it's you that I love—please believe me."_

_"Let me go. Don't touch me…I'm disgusted at you."_

Why, why, why, why, why am I remembering those words?! I wasn't supposed to remember them. I should have forgotten those words a very long time ago before I live behind the shadow of Miyazono Maria. I… do I really want to forget him or not? Do I really want to continue this revenge or just live plainly without all them—I could do that, right? I could, right? Or I couldn't… because in a world without that person… nothing else awaits me.

Then… then what do I want to do?

If I had believed him and not the things I've seen without proper explanation, would it have leaded us to this kind of setting? Would I forever live in hatred and resentment because based on what I've seen and heard, Takumi just played with my heart? What about his other words—when he said it was only I? What about those words that he uttered, telling me that it was only I that he loved? What about them? How could I easily forget those words when he had said them with all his heart?

How could I be so bias?

"I pushed him away, Gerard." I manage to say despite the ache that divided my heart painfully into pieces. "I should have believed him. I should have, but I didn't. I was too focused on the humiliation I've felt upon seeing him and Sakura that I just… I thought I could simply end things easily and live on my own."

"Now tell me, what do you want to do?"

How could I forgive myself for doing something like this? How could he still asked me of what I want to do when I don't have the right to be happy anymore? By being an imposter of Miyazono Maria, I've tortured people I shouldn't be torturing. I directed my anger on the wrong person. I made my family suffer by ignoring them completely and emotionally hurting them.

Since when have I become so… so ill bred?

I've set aside family and my friends and ruined their lives by coming back here using a false identity. What a shameful act. I'm so shameful. I'm a murderer because I also wanted them dead. And now, I am no different on those people who wronged me. I'm a hundred times worse than them.

I am shameful.

Looking up at Gerard with a blank expression, I shake my head as response to his question. "I don't want to be either Ayuzawa Misaki or Miyazono Maria. I want to end this all, Gerard. I want to be alone for now."

I didn't await his response anymore and instead, got the manila envelope he had given me and exited his pad. This way, being alone begins now.

.

I moved on to removing anything that simply reminds me I lived for the past weeks as Miyazono Maria. I removed the hair extensions, the jewelries, the expensive clothes, the makeup, the glasses that hides my amber eyes—which, idiotically enough, Takumi wasn't able to see—and the engagement ring that Gerard and I bought as part of our plan to torture my supposed killers. I made my way towards the familiar closet and rummage through my stack of old clothes until I found the one I've been searching for.

I went on to wearing Takumi's old tee before I curled into a ball and laid flat in my stomach. I used to do this back then. I used to curl into a ball when I badly wanted to escape everything that was putting my heart discomfort. Back then; it used to be just me—until my life became thwarted and chaotic. But I couldn't blame them—him, especially. Because not once in my life had I regretted things that occurred to me including him. He was everything I could ever want in this world.

Until I got ruined… which eventually led to my death.

And despite all unfortunate things that occurred to me… why? Why do I still love him so much? It was so out of my character to forgive him when he was the instigator of all these… regret. Everything was his fault.

So, why? If everything was indeed his fault… why couldn't I believe that wholeheartedly? Why do I still think Igarashi Tora was the one behind all these? Why do I still have strong faith on Takumi when he had betrayed me even if what Sakura did was nothing but a filthy trap?

The end is about to come.

The end of biasness, the end of one-sidedness, the end of these entire ache… it would be the end soon, because I already feel so tired. Revenge is nonstop. If I continued this, I would be wholly swallowed by my own anger. I would continually yearn for hatred until I'm already destroyed. Until there is nothing else left… but nothing from me. In the end, I'd come out pitiful. Because whereas the world continues to move forward, here I was, stuck in yesterday, living in a place filled with resentment, feeding my anger with ugly memories.

It was such an ugly sight. And I wouldn't want to be stuck in such a place like that. I've always been a bright and vigorous woman dedicated on passing knowledge to the children I taught back at school. But look at me now. I became nothing but a pitiful woman who hid her affection behind the shadows of revenge and made everyone believe that she was mad at that person who she mistakably thought of as someone who killed her. And God, I can't believe I fell on such a way too obvious trap. Even an able minded child could see through the lie.

What has become of me now?

I stirred; completely awake when I thought I heard something echoing through the corridors of my old home. I sat up, staring catiously by the door, as anxiety blanketed my entire body upon the reminder of the same night when Igarashi had come here to play my murder—that sick bastard. I didn't dare open the lights anymore since it would only signify that I'm awake and is aware of the noises outside when all of a sudden, my doorknob started to spin as if someone from the outside was trying to get into my room.

I made a mad dash to the window—grabbing my phone in the process—and wondered if I could really jump through this height while fumbling with my car key until I realized that I needed to calm down first. Someone is going to kill me and this time, I need to make sure if this setup was the same kind of setup again back in the past. I readied my gun hidden inside my bedside drawer—a weapon Gerard had given to me in order to protect myself when he isn't around—before I jump back to my bed and sat on it primly while glaring at the creaking door. My heart pounded against my chest and I was certain I needed therapy again after this since remembering the past makes me want to scream around and wreak havoc all over again when, instead, Takumi's face welcomed my eyes.

And I forgot to wear my disguises.

Even so, I still pretended less afraid. "Ah, if it wasn't Usui Takumi who visited me in the middle of the night," I darted a discreet glance on my digital clock. "—Twelve in the early evening, to be exact. My, don't you think that's just suspicious?"

He seemed startled at first, but he was able to contain his emotions immediately and slumps down on the carpeted floor before massaging his temples. "Trust me, I don't really know what got into me and suddenly came here. Somehow, I just know that I needed to see her and completely forgot that you already owned the place."

My heart wrenches at the mention of the word _her_ before I looked away, wondering whether now is the right time to tell him or not. In the end, I ask the question I've wanted to ask ever since we first met. "Why?"

Looking up at me with that blatant confusion in his emerald eyes, he frowned. "What?"

"Why do you love me—her?" I whispered a curse.

He dropped his gaze on the floor. "I don't know. I wanted her… she's the only person I've ever wanted in this world—no one else up to now."

_No one else up to now. _I repeated inside my head over and over again. So, that must mean, my appearance as Maria Miyazono served only as distraction since I looked terribly a lot like her—although I really am her—but I was unable to diminish his love for that one woman who seemed to have broken his heart after she disappeared without a trace. Another exhale. "Well, she isn't here. Do you still need something?"

"I don't know. I wanted to see her and there was this strong urge that I would because my lines are already prepared."

"And those are?"

"I wanted to be with her, Maria." He answered me straightforwardly, and I was immediately startled since he looked so vulnerable at the moment and something deeper was hidden behind his words. "I'm done with these years without her. I can't be… someone anymore without her. I wanted her to know how… how… how—ah, damn it. I want her to know how suffocating it was—that I feel utterly suffocated without—"

"Stop… stop, stop, STOP!" jumping off the bed, I charged against him and slapped him as hard as I could until he was no longer able to say those words coming from deep within his heart. "STOP, you idiot! Just… JUST STOP! Why, why, why, why, WHY, WHY?! Why can't you forget about me! STOP TORTURING YOURSELF ALREADY BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KILL ME!"

Another blatant confusion was etched on his face, and I wanted to remove that by kissing him, by telling him I'm actually good, by telling him I'm freakin' alive. But words won't come out. It wasn't easy—it was never easy. Life has always been too complicated for the two of us, and it was… vexing. "Ma… Mari… Misaki?"

I froze, because with that kind of outburst, I very indiscreetly blurted out the truth right before his eyes. I bit my lip before I stood and turned my back on him. "Forget it, you've easily seen through me already ever since the beginning. I guess I really can't defeat you on everything, you stupid perverted outer space alien—" but before I could do as much as finish the string of profanities directed at him, I was suddenly sweep into his arms and is being crushed against his chest I was almost unable to breathe. I let out a startled gasp, trying to break free although, annoying as it were; my heart was over pouring with different emotions—happiness, to be exact.

I settled on elbowing him. "Let me go, you pervert—" but he didn't let go and instead, his grip on me tightened even more it was almost impossible to breathe. But I didn't mind even for a bit, and it perplexed me because I was supposed to get mad at him. But instead, I was unable to feel any kind of rage. I was overwhelmed with emotions not even for once I regretted feeling even at the moment of my death. As his embraced grew tighter and tighter—not releasing me even for one moment—I started to get consumed by what I've been feeling ever since the beginning.

I love him and there isn't any questioning that.

I gasped when he suddenly forced me to spin so I would be facing him before he removed my prescription glasses to stare deep into my eyes, and finally, after two long and dreadful years filled with nothing but misery and despair, amber eyes collided against emerald green. And somehow, the feeling just turned into something magical that I was left with nothing but the emotions that didn't seem to disappear even if I was lost and is already on the brink of desperation. I exhaled, realizing how much I missed him even if all those times, I'm doing nothing but forced myself to loathe him. We stared at each other for another stretching moment until I suddenly felt awkward and decided to avert my eyes off his. But it honestly startled me when he suddenly grabbed my face and directed it on his face so he could continue looking at me.

I flushed by his forcefulness, and tried to push him away. "Let me go—"

"You're really alive." He says again before hugging me and starts showering me with kisses all over the face and even at the top of my head. I allowed him to do whatever he wanted for a moment since he still looks like he was freaking out and when he was finally relaxed, I gently undo his tight grip on me and took two steps away from him since I was being overwhelmed by my emotions for him and I needed to keep it relax and still under my control.

I can't risk losing my heart again.

I counted two beats and spoke again. "Get out. Now."

He seemed confused for the moment. "But Misaki—"

"I said, get out." I turned my back on him, unable to take that pained expression on his face. Not now, Ayuzawa. Not now. You can't risk getting confused now. So what if you finally admitted that you like him? He was still another cause of your suffering. Do not get distracted by this harmful thing they call longing. It's the kind of gamble that is too much of a risk to take when winning is something I am not quite certain of. I need to get my head in the game. Revenge isn't over yet and I still have a few people I'm hunting in search of justice. I need to take them all down—oof!

Takumi had enclosed me in his embrace again and no matter how much I try to struggle, I couldn't escape. I didn't know when it started but when his lips started grazing mine, I was left with nothing to do but respond to him positively, and with too much ardor. I've missed him so much and this would be the first time I'd be kissing him back fervently ever since we first met. My heart beat rapidly against my chest I almost fear I'd explode, my body easily recognized the one person I recognized myself with and my senses got easily stimulated the moment our lips touched. It has inevitable, and somehow, I know I should have stop things from happening all over again. His kisses became hard and demanding and needy, I was out of my head and senses as I try to keep up with his pace. His hands were hard against my skin as he lifted me off the ground and carried me in his arms. I straddled him and every kiss was a caress all its own. Mentally, I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. But the more I try to deny him, the more my mind is getting clouded by what I feel for him.

I didn't even know when my clothes were thrown into the floor and when he was able to get me to bed. I was too caught up with my own emotions and thoughts that he was able to completely invade my system without me even knowing. Our breaths mingled with each other as I was ready to suffocate so long as we'd be able to breathe the same air, my fingers knotted against his hair, feeling the soft locks I've always dreamed of caressing every waking moment of my life and, once again, my thoughts scattered and I didn't know how fast we are going to take one another. My breathing became erratic when he grinded his lips against mine and it felt as if I was shivering from his touches. His soft caress burned me and I couldn't help but winced. I missed this person.

He was the only one I've ever wanted and I began to wonder, if we weren't able to obtain the happiness in this kind of life, then, are we going to acquire it on our next life? How long am I going to run until I tire and the ghost of the past catches up to me again?

I decided to set things aside as of the moment, wanting to regret more and to want more once morning arrives again. It was the kind of mistake that presents too many painful repercussions that I don't think I'm responsible enough to handle. But then, even if it had, I guess I'm already ready enough to face them head on since nothing and no one else could take me down after all those things that happened to me.

I shut my eyes close, relishing the feel of Takumi filling my system with nothing but himself and didn't wonder anymore why, aside from me pushing him away previously, we didn't exchange any words while we were making love.

The feeling was beyond words. And even if years had passed, or as we were lifted up to the darkness of the infinity and fall down hard back on Earth as gravity pull us with such severity, it would not have matter.

I have him. But then again, he also has me.

Tomorrow is still faraway, and there was still too much time before everything else falters and disappears. For now, I wanted a night of pure negligence.

_._

OMO, this was… tell me what you think. I've been recently addicted to the NOTEWORTHY font of MS Word and if ever this font appears in FFN since I'm using it, like, right now on this too long A/N, do try it out. Haha. Kidding. Anyway. Two more chapters and BIAS is about to end. I hope you all like my story and don't worry, I'd make sure you'd feel fulfilled and not extremely disappointed once you're done reading this. This is only an estimation though so do not jump on your own conclusions yet. I never really like reading hate mails. :D

Next chapter will be posted soon and it would be twice longer than this. Many—as in many—things will happen in that chapter and I hope you'd all be surprised by how… bias BIAS is. :D.

Please keep me posted with regards to your thoughts. I haven't updated this for a long while and I terribly needed your thoughts about this. And also, I'm starting to like writing a few **MATURE** stuff on my stories—I hope I'm giving justice on those scenes. Damn, these are all UNFORGOTTEN's fault. Read that, too! And read ETERNAL too!

I'll be posting **The Grim Reaper'**s first chapter so please read it. I've done the first chapter for, like, three days and it was a very strenuous fic. I suddenly felt so tired.

See ya all lateeeer!

Hugs&Kisses,

**Andy**.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimers: **maybe I'd go find a magic lamp or something—aw, forget it.

**A/N:** I'm currently addicted—again—to Demi Lovato's song, Skyscraper. So yeah, this chapter is inspired to her song. I hope you'd all like it. Before I post the next chapter, I'd be posting another one shot again—I think—and I hope you'd all love it the way other readers recognized Unforgotten and Eternal. Enjoy!

Also, do read The Grim Reaper. It was an AU story of Sakura Mikan and Hyuuga Natsume. It borders on the Mystery, Supernatural and Crime genre so; I hope you'd all acknowledge it as well. By the way, it was **Rated M**. :D

**Summary:****With unexpected serpentines, an old love story that was tested by fate, revenge and at the same time prejudice, will the truth behind the lie still prevail?**

-;-

**Bias**

**Is once again dedicated to:**

All my fanfiction readers

-;-

She's a splash of secret splendor and seduction.  
>Plunge yourself in her abstract of lines—her tangles of vines.<br>Be allured, be enticed... She's a queen of complication,  
>a poisonous beauty hidden under the webs of pretensions.<p>

-;-

Go on and try to tear me down  
>I will be rising from the ground<br>Like a skyscraper  
>Like a skyscraper<p>

-;-

_At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled__.__**~Marshall B. Rosenberg**_

**Nine:**

The fog cleared and I felt myself stirred awake as my skin met against something hard and warm. My breathing came out automatic as voluntary as the beating of my heart, and I felt the presence of home lingering around me. It was a good morning—it would be a good morning, I was able to guess that much. The feel of fabric against my shivering skin was disconcertingly soft and I was instantly relaxed. It was a weird feeling. It didn't even make sense that I felt so comfortable and relaxed and at ease and definitely unconcerned of what may happen this very day. It didn't matter if I get up late. It was a carefree day and I was extremely happy due to reasons even I didn't know of—or unsure of.

Something comfortingly warm brushed against my hair and once again, I felt instantly relaxed. Another contented sigh escaped my throat and I felt myself shaking due to reasons I'm not aware of again. Something brushed against my forehead and lingered down to my frozen cheek before resting on my lips and I breathed out a contented sigh. I didn't know mornings could be unusually inspiring and stimulating. Who would ever thought that I'd feel like this again after two years of miserable living—

I froze before slowly snapping my eyes open only to be welcomed by a pair of lush green eyes staring intently at me in wonder. Looking around, I realized I was back into my room and memories of what transpired last night charged against my still dizzy—and sleepy—brain and smashed right straight on my face I almost recoiled. I stared back at Takumi before me, tasting the atmosphere between us and took note that he already had his pants on and I was only covered by nothing but that thin fabric called a blanket.

I felt a blow against my stomach as I sat up, alarmed and definitely still confused over my decision last night to allow him to spend the night with me—in my bedroom, to be exact.

Takumi had sat up too as confusion dawned on his face. "Ayuzawa… what's wrong?"

"I don't know." I mumbled thoughtlessly. "It should not have been like this. This wasn't supposed to happen. I'm not done yet. It's not yet over. I still need to take down Igara—" I clamped my mouth shut, cursing myself for nearly slipping when I heard him exhale behind me. I look back and saw him rubbing his temple. "What is it?"

"I know what you're trying to do."

My forehead creased. "Excuse me?"

Looking up at me through his enticing green eyes, he shook his head. "I called Gerard and he told me everything with regards to your plan. It was all to get even on us."

"What!" I half-shrieked which doesn't seem to have startled him anymore. I glared at him, daring him to continue what he was saying.

Another exhale escaped the confines of his throat. "He told me that he found you on the ocean, nearly dead." The shiver that became visible on his shoulder didn't escape my eyes though I decided to keep quiet about it. Blatantly, I watch his reactions, being extra careful for his breakdown. "You got a miscarriage… our child." Takumi sighed. "It was all because of us, Ayuzawa—of me. Everything was my fault. What I'm trying to say is—damn." He mushed his hair as if he was really confused over what he was supposed to say. "I don't know if you'd accept my apology. I'm going to kill that bastard Igarashi."

Wait… so he really didn't know? "You didn't search for me." Were the accusations that managed to pass through my lips. Bitterness engulfed me in and somehow, the thought of wanting to punch him despite my nudity bubbled from somewhere inside of me.

Takumi cursed and ends up grabbing me by the shoulder and presses me against his chest—my back against him. "I searched for you, isn't it damn obvious? You didn't know what I went through when you just disappeared and evidences of your supposed death appeared right in front of my door. I've been searching for you—two years… for two years, Ayuzawa." He buried his face on my back as if he was trying to take in my scent and starts shaking his head. "I didn't know what went wrong. I thought you just simply wanted out and that probably, distance would give you enough time to forgive me. But then you were gone. People came knocking on my door with the information that you drowned… and it wasn't easy to accept since I'm well aware of your inability to swim." A bitter chuckle escaped his lips and I suddenly hated myself for actually blaming him for my death when both of us are only victims of this kind of foreplay. "I mean, damn, I'm such a bastard for not suspecting my own best friend to have planned this kind of murder." Takumi shook his head. "Damn it."

I cursed too, absorbing the warmth that his skin gives off and relish the feel of the, although uncomfortable, silence between us. I lifted my hands up and touched his bare arm that was resting over my chest before exhaling. "I've been trying to hate you ever since I came back. I thought you killed me."

"God, Misaki, what do you think would possess me to do such a horrible thing on you? I would never do that. What kind of sick bastard would plant that inside your head," he paused before cursing again. "—I am really going to fucking kill that bastard."

I shake my head. "There's no need for that." I spun around and face him, frowning at the sight of displeasure embedded on his face. "This is my fight, Takumi. He dragged me down to hell, and I would do the same. Please, do not interfere."

"But you allowed Gerard to—"

"Gerard is different." I interrupted him, once again, ignoring the look of displeasure and discontentment on his face with the way I say Gerard's name. "He was there when I needed someone to comfort me. He was a dear friend so don't say his name as if he was the enemy."

He grumbled something impolite before running a hand through his disheveled hair. I stared at him in pure amazement, completely forgetting my earlier discrepancies as I wondered how I was able to deny myself of his existence. He was such an enigma… and for him to actually choose someone like me when he already have everything in his world back when we are still two years younger… it was something that no amount of words would be able to explain. And I couldn't believe myself either for having someone like him. He had searched for me during the time I was gone while I was away and loathing him with all that I have, when all these times, we were simply and still in love with each other.

That's why there is still the need to end this. I would never be able to become completely happy so long as that person who holds the truth is somewhere walking freely, breathing the same air I breathe. Igarashi needed to get wind up in jail.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?" I refocused my eyes on Takumi who was staring intently on me before shaking my head and looks back on where my eyes was previously directed. I stared at the digital clock on my lamp table that reads quarter to four in the morning—guess it was still too early to get up and do something reckless. I reached out for my discarded shirt and pajamas on the floor and swiftly wore it, trying my best to ignore Takumi who was doing nothing but watch me, as I got dressed. He exhaled. "It's still early, Ayuzawa."

"I'm just dressing up." I told him so. "I don't really want to sleep covered in nothing but this blanket."

His grin became playful. "I'll cover you."

I smiled sardonically. "No, thanks."

"Does that translate to get out of my room?" I looked away, unsure of what to answer since it would be really embarrassing if I admitted that I wanted him to stay and spend the rest of the morning with me even if what we're going to do is only to sleep. He seemed to have read the air because he suddenly yanked me by my elbow until I was flat on my back on the bed and he was towering over me. Takumi skimmed my neck with his nose and starts kissing my throat before he resurfaced and kissed my forehead. "Misaki, I love you."

It was weird how he was able to make my insides go soft and shaken by those mere words that people in this world used to throw around to anyone they'd consider as someone they love. I couldn't suppress my smile anymore as I finally released it and lifted my hand up to touch his warm cheek. "So am I."

And at last, I was able to admit it. I felt light; it felt as if something heavy got thrown off my shoulder. Back then, I couldn't say it because I was tangled in a sadistic relationship with Igarashi, and then I was still unable to say it because I was blinded by false anger directed on the wrong people. But now, it felt good saying it out loud right before the person I've love with too much madness it was almost illegal. But I guess this is how love was supposed to be. It has no boundaries because when you love, the only thing that works properly is your heart that is invaded by nothing but pure and pristine emotions.

I was locked inside his steel embraced again and since I was engulfed in nothing but the natural warmth his body was giving off, I was immediately sent back to sleep.

.

"What do you mean by _Igarashi Tora is missing_?" Gerard asked in irritation as soon as Cedric gave him the new piece of information we got with regards to matters about Igarashi Tora. I couldn't properly listen to their heated conversation anymore since I was busy staring outside the overlooking in Gerard's suite. Japan isn't that much of a big country so there is a bigger possibility that that guy is still inside the country's boundaries. And if he had left, it would only be a matter of time before we received that kind of information. The Walker family has connections even outside their birthplace.

And besides, there was already a Restraining Order filed against him so he couldn't really get out of the country unless he wanted to get caught by the police in public view. But still, despite my inattentiveness, I couldn't bring myself the decision to calm down and stay cool over matter such as this. He was missing and he could appear right before me just when I wasn't mentally and physically prepared. He had me nearly killed two years before; there is no way I'd allow him to plant seeds of doubt inside my head again against the people I still care about. Even if it kills me, I won't stop until he's been erased off the face of the Earth.

With him around, I'd be unable to obtain happiness.

"Maria, I'd be sending guards to guard your place and accompany you wherever you go." Gerard said, snapping me out of my distracting thoughts. "We needed to give you full protection since there is a possibility that Igarashi could suddenly—"

Interrupting him, I shake my head. "There is no need for that, Gerard. I don't need protection. I could very well protect myself."

He glared at me. "Are you crazy? That person is the same guy who nearly got you dead two years before—"

"I know." I answered smoothly. "I know what I'm doing, Gerard. And trust me when I say that I could handle myself. Why is the significance of me coming back here to avenge my planned death when I couldn't even protect myself from the very person who wanted me dead? I can do this, Gerard. Some trust, please?"

Gerard already looked defeated when he took steps forward me and placed a hand over my shoulder. "Don't say that. I only wanted to protect you."

I grinned at him. "This is my way of forgiving you for telling Takumi about me—just so you know, you're still not forgiven. I'm consider about the second part of the punishment: like probably you kicking you on the place where the sun don't shine." He winced and I couldn't hide a laugh as I playfully punched him on the stomach. "Stop worrying now. You know that anxiety is bad for your health. If anything were to happen to you, I'm gonna make a run to the West immediately or Cedric might kill me."

He scowled and ends up flicking me on the forehead. "Give a call on your boyfriend immediately. At least tell him to make some use of himself so he wouldn't lose you again."

I frowned at him in defense of Takumi and ended up snapping my eyes to the door when I heard someone clear his throat only to catch a glimpse of Takumi standing on the entrance to his suite with an obviously annoyed expression on his face. "Takumi," I mumbled, also perplexed before I darted a quick glance towards Gerard's direction who, on the other hand, evidently looked mocking.

"I came here to get you. I've been informed that Igarashi has been gone missing for a matter of days now, and I don't really want to leave you until that bastard has been caught and jailed to where he was supposed to be jailed." He looked definitely mad at the sight of Gerard and I and I've got no choice but to leave with him or he and Gerard might end up in a brawl with the way they were glaring at each other.

Standing, I got my bag from the center table and peck Gerard on the cheek before walking towards Takumi's direction; pulling him by his elbow. "Come on and let's leave already. I don't want this place to get damn bloody." Thankfully, Takumi allowed me to drag him away and lead him to the elevator before waving at Gerard goodbye. He nodded at me and I've felt as if a load has been thrown off my shoulder to know that we are still okay. I never really like fighting with Gerard. The hostility between us just sets off a bad precedent on our future plans since it gets caught up too with our emotions. As soon as we were out of the elevator, I went straight towards my own car only to gasp when I felt something tug against the tie of the coat I'm wearing. I look behind me and saw notice Takumi's fingers knotted tightly on the ribbon of my caught.

I glared at him. "What do you think you're doing? I'm wearing heels, don't you know that?"

"I clearly know that you're wearing heels." He responded smoothly and all the more had it annoyed me since he was being clearly frustrating. "So, I was wondering, where do you think you're going? My car is parked on that direction."

I arched an eyebrow at him. "So?"

"So?" he echoed what I've said. "You're coming with me. I'm not going to let you drive all by yourself when that Igarashi bastard is on the loose."

"He's not going to—kya!"

"Stubborn idiot." He muttered before lifting me off the ground and threw me off his shoulder as if I was some kind of sack of rice. The gasp and shriek came in unnatural and strained since it felt as if the breath got knocked off me and before I could even realized what's happening, I've been carried into his car.

"What—put me down, Takumi, you jerk!" I punched his back since it was the only thing I could do—not to mention that I'm wearing a skirt underneath and unless I wanted to show everyone my underwear, I should stop flailing my legs around—and tried to chew his ear off by screaming. "Put me down! I hate high places!"

"Come on, you've been into a plane, didn't you?" he was already laughing and even if his enthusiasm was now infectious, I still went firm on my decision to act mad. "I told you already, I'm not letting you out of my sight. Not now and not ever." I ceased struggling and couldn't help but stay silent upon hearing those kinds of proclamations coming from him. "So will you please be the obedient woman I've always known you of and allow me to guard you so I'd be rest assured you will be safe?"

"You can't stay in my house forever, Takumi."

He planted me back down on the ground and places his hands on my shoulders. "Who said we'd be staying in your house?"

"Huh?"

.

It wasn't his usual pad back then.

Looking around, there were tons of new things that's been added on his pad in this high-rise condo unit I haven't seen before. His place probably had all the necessary things a person needed to survive an entire lifetime. I watched as Takumi switched on his alarm system despite how early it still was and walks towards my direction, standing so tall before me. He remove the prescription glasses that conceals well my eyes—still a bit reddish after the incident with my contacts—and kisses them thoughtfully.

"I miss this." His breath fanned my face and I couldn't help but be intoxicated since he was standing too close and my skin is already beginning to get stimulated by his mere touch. And I need not a remake of what happened between us last night. The moment as of now is very vital and I couldn't risk the repercussions of what might happen that might get me vulnerable.

I step away from him and tries to act casual—and not overly affected by his touches—while looking around his unit. "Your place is new."

I thought I heard him exhale. "I moved out of the old one half a year ago."

Half a year… "Oh. I see." My legs were too shaky to do some things so I settled on occupying the white leather couch. He took the space beside me. "So, you are now Suzuna and Mom's personal guardian, huh? Why did you do that?" 

"What do you want me to say, Ayuzawa?" he inquires back, the reminder of the past must've been a taboo for him. "You were rumored to be dead. Your Mom and your sister suffered the consequences of your planned death. I wasn't that cold hearted that you once thought I was. I thought back then that you would become my responsibility since I was proposing marriage. Even if ours didn't end the way I actually wanted it to end, your family is already someone I considered my family too."

"Do you still love me?" the words came out unexpected. And before I could even regret blurting the curse words out, it was already too late. I tried to retaliate. "I mean, if you don't love me anymore—and you're just feeling guilty about what happened to our relationship—it doesn't really matter much to me anymore—"

"Do you?"

I froze, and couldn't avoid staring at him.

Takumi went on. "I didn't know your answer back then if you have loved me the way I have loved you. What I did years back was to only forced my feelings on you because I've regretted the fact that you have ended up with someone I couldn't call my best friend anymore. But behind the regret, I was so certain I have loved you more than I was capable of doing. That's why I was so devastated when you died."

He had loved me… "So, you still love me… or do you not anymore?"

He eyed me again. "What do you think?"

I met his eyes again, but he had stared at me in a really intense way that made my insides turn into jelly that I ended up avoiding his gaze and looking out to the overview that his floor-to-ceiling windows had offered. Why are we having this discussion again?

From beside me, Takumi released out another exhale. "If you already know the answer, then, let's not have this kind of discussion anymore. I wouldn't have thought of killing Igarashi had I not been in love with you in a way almost illegal." I gasped when he suddenly scooped me out of the couch and into his arms before walking towards a short hallway that actually leads to his bedroom. My heart thumped hard against my ribcage and I couldn't help but clenched my fist over my chest for fear that he might hear the loud beating of my heart since I was in a place where I could safely say that he's mine.

.

I woke up, disturbed from a dream from a time I never wanted—nor even dare—go back to and stirred completely awake, now aware of the empty and cold space beside me. It was already dark, and I could feel the cold brushing of the wind coming from the open air conditioning unit caressing my exposed skin. The darkness, odd as it were, made my heart skip a beat—it simply reminds me of the time I woke up awake too and before I could even realized it, I was dragged by force to my death.

Where in the world is that freak Takumi?

Gathering my senses, I gathered the thick crumpled blanket that still had the traces of a few hours ago—and the faint scent of Takumi—and used it to cover my entire body. The entire house was dimly lit apart from the spot by the kitchen that had the energy conserving light switched on. I walked towards it in time I get to see Takumi's lean figure seated by the stool next to the kitchen counter. I risked a glance on his digital clock. It reads quarter to twelve—I didn't know I could actually sleep that long. I considered my dress code and was already on the verge of getting back to change when he tilted his head towards my direction—as if he felt me—before smiling that kind of smile that made my insides turn soft.

He lend out his hand to me. "Ayuzawa, come here."

"Er… I better change clothes for a moment—"

"Hm, why so?" he sounded like he was teasing me. "I like you better wearing that kind of clothing."

I scowled at him. "Pervert."

"I thought we already had that established?" he walked towards me instead and startled me by planting a chaste kiss on my lips before scooping me off the ground and walks towards the couch, wherein he was seated behind me. He snaked his arms around my waist and exhales. "Hm… this is what I've always wanted to do with you back then. Just sitting around and hanging out with you."

"Well, you are already sitting around and hanging out with me."

"I'll always want to hang out with you."

"You are already hanging out with me."

"Ah, how do I say this," he plopped his forehead against my shoulder and breathes in the scent of my skin. "—can't believe I lost the words for this kind of thing." He cursed again and this time, I was beginning to get confused by his actions. "Damn, this is really embarrassing of me."

I tilted my head to so I could see his face. "Takumi, what's wrong? Is something the matter? What is it?" 

He scratched his head again. "I know it isn't really the right moment—as in a really bad timing—but, really, it's been two years and I'm certain that this is what I wanted. I don't know if this is what you want knowing that you have a new life right before you and you probably wanted to take on the world since I know your personality—you love to move around the world, right? You could do that, I'm not going to let our relationship hinder your desires—if you're still willing to be with me—and I don't even know if you even—or still—wanted me. But you know that I want you, right? It isn't like it had faded away over the years that you were gone, that I thought you were really dead—"

"Usui Takumi," I hissed, since he wasn't really making any sense. "—you are not making any sense. Can you kindly try to make yourself clear? You're, I don't know, freaking me out."

He laughed at that and, as he leaned forward, I thought I heard the harsh beating of his heart. It made my heart beat furiously too. "Hmm, I thought, since Gerard might probably still think we are children despite our age, don't you think it's better if we construct a definite future our own?"

I froze, and he didn't even seem as if he was willing to check out on me either. Alarmed, I turned towards him and gathered what's left of my courage. "Are you asking me for marriage?"

He looked at me as if I was some kind of mentally handicapped person. "Yes."

"Oh, my God."

"Is that a yes?"

I had nothing else to say. "In every language?"

"It's a yes." He suddenly laughed before he pulled me up—more like forced me off the couch—and hugs me so tight it nearly crushed me. But I couldn't find the strength to feel pain. In fact, the embraced felt so good it was almost as if it should have had happen long before this. His happiness was infectious as he carried me up his arms and spun me around. "Please tell me it's really a yes." He says once I've been planted back on the ground. "Please, I want to hear it—the yes word, I mean."

I couldn't contain my laughter either. "Yes, stupid idiotic and perverted Usui Takumi. It's a yes, in every language, I wanted to marry you, too—I'm going to marry you. I want to become your wife. Yes, I will marry you—" but before I could as much as finished my sentence, I was swept into his intoxicating embrace again while he claimed my lips for a passionate kiss he was more than capable of doing.

We were both breathless when he pulled away. "Now, let me do this properly." He winked at me before jogging back to his room and when he returned, he was already carrying a small golden Tiffany box. He got my hands, and I couldn't honestly describe my feelings as I watched him kiss my fingers one by one as if I was the most precious thing that ever existed on earth. I considered the place; dim lights, no candles, no expensive and unnecessary whatsoever and both of us only in our house clothes—me wearing almost nothing—but still, it work out properly. This is what I've always wanted in life.

I bit my lip when he leaned forward to kiss my forehead with such affection and slides it down to my nose and on both of my cheeks. "Ayuzawa Misaki, I promise to love you every bit of forever—or as long as we both shall live—so, will you marry me?"

I giggled and since I was too overwhelmed by emotions, the only thing I was able to do is nod and whisper out a shaky, "Yes."

His smile was breath taking, and it felt as if saying yes to him is the most beautiful and definitely the greatest thing I've ever done my entire life. He got the ring from the box; a simple silver band with a diamond entrenched on it and put it on my ring finger where it would stay for the rest of our eighty—or more—years. He kissed me on the lips again, wrapping the blanket on both of us and lifts me off the floor again before smiling against my lips.

"I love you, Ayuzawa."

And I have believed him because whatever word has reached me, so long as I didn't witness it slip out of Takumi's mouth, I would never dare believe it to no longer repeat the tragedy that transpired between us two long and lonely years ago.

But only then had I not realized that the true challenge would come knocking on our doors much later than sooner.

.

Gerard smiled at me in a way as if he himself had understood the reason why I came here. With a single nod, he was able to cross the room to put me inside his affectionate hugs before planting a chaste and friendly kiss on my cheeks. It had break my heart to know that I'd be leaving him alone and that he'd be alone again but he had told me to go off on my own and pursue my own happiness since, surely, he'd come to find his too.

"I wish you all the best." He said and hugs me again. "I know this kind of thing will happen so I've prepared for this moment. Here, my wedding gift to you and my stupid brother." My forehead creased when he handed me an envelope and when I opened it, it was a letter transferring his company on my name.

My eyes rounded as I stared up at him. "Gerard, I can't—"

"Come on and don't be strangers with me now—"

"But—"

"Maria—no," he shakes his head before meeting my eyes again with his warm blue orbs and smiles at me in a real friendly way. "—Ayuzawa Misaki, you deserve to own this. This is rightfully yours and well, since I don't have any successors, I very much wanted to hand it over to you since, if I gave this to my idiotic brother, he'd end up throwing it back on my face." I wanted to protest more, but he had already given me that expression that says I can't do anything about it anymore. "Please accept this. It's the only thing I could give you now. I'd be flying back to England a week from now and well; I'm still expecting an invitation. But of course, I would still provide you enough security to make sure Igarashi Tora wouldn't be able to get anywhere near you—oh!"

I didn't allow him to finish his words anymore because I already flung myself towards him to hug him tightly. "Thank you." Was all I was able to say.

He was frozen stiff, until his body finally relaxed and he had hugged me back. "You're always, always welcome, my dear sweet, Misaki."

_Stop the madness before it explodes_

_Before it's out of our control._

_Let's stop the madness before it explodes,_

_We've got to let it go._

_Before it all explodes._

I clutched my chest when I felt that burning sensation again rising to my heart.

I stop whatever I was doing and supported myself against the marble kitchen counter at Takumi's place. My vision dimmed, but it was probably due to me skipping breakfast so, when I was certain my vision had cleared up now, I walked towards the fridge and got myself a cup of gelato, dipping my finger on it and putting it on my mouth when my stomach suddenly didn't felt good and began to churn. The first thing that I did is to cover my nose, but my stomach started to heave and it felt as if I was going to puke out what I ate yesterday—or what I have tasted today.

I couldn't take it anymore—even if I was trying my best to hold it in—that I was no longer able to put the gelato safely aside—which resulted to it making a mess on the floor—before I made a mad dash from the kitchen across the sitting room and towards the end of the hallway where the bathroom was located. I ran past Takumi, even hearing him say 'whoa' before I engaged into action inside the bathroom in front of the toilet. The sour taste—the damn nasty taste—stayed in my mouth since I had stayed arched there for a couple or more minutes before I finally got the strength to flushed it and brush my teeth to get rid of the acidic scent and taste off my mouth on the lavatory.

Takumi peeked through the slightly open door and when he noticed that I was slumped on the floor, he immediately aided me. "Hey," he says in a softest tone I didn't know he was capable of doing. "—baby, are you okay? What's wrong?"

Faintly, I shake my head. "It's my stomach—it must have been what I ate." 

"Well, we keep on having vegetables lately. Maybe being a vegetarian doesn't suit you." I stifled out a weak laugh over his poor attempt to make me feel better. "Maybe you shouldn't try scarfing down everything on the table." He smiled at me. "Do you want to go see the doctor today?" 

"No doctor."

Takumi frowned. "I extremely dislike it when you're not feeling better."

"I'll be fine. The faintness will pass." I considered my current state. "I'm just a little dizzy. I was trying to cook when I started experiencing that damn heartburn again. It must really be because of what I've been eating this past few days." He arched his eyebrow when I glared at him. "It's all your fault for cooking those damn food. You know I such a sucker for succulent dishes."

Takumi laughed at me. "Well, I wouldn't deny that you're eating like a pig—ow!" he massaged the area of his arm that I punched despite the wobbly feeling. "For a woman who's suffering from PMS, you sure punch hard—ow! Hey, stop—Ouch!" he got my hands that I've been recklessly swinging around and kisses it. "Tell me you're feeling better."

I rechecked myself again. "I'm feeling better now, thank you for asking. I just really need to barf it all out—"

"Thanks for the visuals." He interrupted me and scoops me out of the bathroom floor and carries me around the house. "Hmm, I must say, you're heavy."

I glared at him. "I'll kill you

"Just kidding, love." He pecked me on the forehead. "By the way, as much as I love our current status. I can't let you go back to your apartment—probably until Igarashi hasn't been found." He placed me down the kitchen counter and stands amidst my legs before kissing me on the lips. "I'll be asking Aoi to carry your things out of your house."

I tried to escape his lips. "Aoi and I can do it together."

He tried kissing me again. "No." he says provocatively. "You are not allowed to go out wherever you want without me or the bodyguards my darling brother provided for you." He smiled. "You'll be staying here until I'm fully assured that you're safe."

"Takumi," I said after realizing what he was planning to do with me. "—you cannot locked me in here until whenever. I'll be fine. I've practiced self-defense in England and I'm well trained and I can definitely protect myself—"

"If he carries any kind of weapon that might render you vulnerable, then, that is considered unsafe."

"But—"

"Now, now, shall we not fight over this?" he got my hands and kisses it before kissing my finger with the ring with such blatant affection I couldn't help but forget our previous conversation. "And if you're talking about self-defense… maybe you could use it on me?" there was a wicked glint in his eyes that made me feel all squirmy inside and looking at our position now, I'm extremely at disadvantage. "By the way, I wanted you to taste something."

What? Flirting time already over? Tsk. "What is it?" 

Takumi startled me when he suddenly leaned forward and kissed me right straight on the lips. But it wasn't one of his infamous seductive kisses I tasted before. In fact, it was the kind of kiss that made me submissive and had invaded my system until all I could do is kiss him back with the same fervor he was transferring all inside me. I opened my mouth to allow his foraging tongue in, trapping a moan inside my throat, until I tasted something… was it minty? Well, it did tasted like mint and… well, it's something similar to that of a mouthwash. He must've noticed that I froze since I stopped kissing him that he suddenly pulled away with a smug grin on his provocative lips.

Damn, those lips are really sexy.

I frowned at him. "Er, what was that all about?"

Leaning forward, he nibbled my ear. "I've got a new mouthwash."

"Pervert."

"I thought we already had that established?" he tried kissing me again, but I know better than to allow him to control me again so I tried to avoid him. Takumi laughed. "Didn't like it?"

"Of course not!" I said, but I answered too fast. Thus, I've decided to retaliate. "No, I mean, I thought you wanted me to taste something?"

Takumi laughed. "This is my way of making you appreciate my mouthwash."

I glared at the laughing like an idiot man before me. "Pervert."

"That's second in a row." He got my face locked inside his huge palms that I've got no choice but to stay still and allow him to assault my lips. And before I could even realized what's happening—again—I was off the counter and into his arms and we are making our way back to his room.

.

Since it was a lot safer if I would be sitting for a moment, I decided to stop unpacking my clothes first and rested on my bed while gently caressing my chest. This stupid heartburn… I've noticed that I've always been suffering from this kind of thing every freakin' morning. It must be of something I ate—maybe I shouldn't try scarfing down Takumi's food too. But damn, he just cooks so well it was almost impossible to stop eating. I fear that if this continues, I'm going to pig out before our wedding day even arrives.

I froze at the word. _Wedding. Ugh._

My chest started to ache again, thus, I decided to head downstairs—since I'm back in my pad and Takumi's gonna pick me up within minutes—to help myself with a glass of cold water. No matter how much he tries, he shouldn't really believe that he'd be able to lock me away inside that damn house of his. He was an idiot to believe that kind of thing. So, after begging him with all I've got—which included an hour of punching and biting and clawing and annoying the hell out of him while he was busy doing work—he finally agreed under the condition that he'd be picking me up since I'm still not allowed to hold my car.

Aoi caught me in that kind of moment just in time. He was carrying a box himself since he was helping me with my temporary—and soon will be permanent—moving in to Takumi's place.

He frowned. "What's wrong?"

I pointed out my chest.

The frown didn't slip off his beautiful and very feminine-like face. "Er… your breast hurts?"

"Stupid. It's my chest that hurts." I caressed it again after scarfing down the cold water. "I think I'm suffering from heartburn. It's weird."

"Hm… heartburn. Pregnant?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't think so. It's too early for that. And I am not pregnant, stupid." He walked towards me and started massaging my back. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"Maybe you should avoid indulging yourself with casual sex—"

"AOI!" he laughed and was able to avoid my fist when I swung it around to try to punch him. I glared at him. "It's not funny."

"You know it was." He says while laughing.

And I couldn't help but laugh too before playfully punching him on his hips. "You idiot. If your brother hears you saying that kind of thing, he'd certainly make a mess out of you. You know he still hasn't forgiven you for all the conspiring thing with me."

"Whatever, whatever." He waved one hand in dismiss and kneels before the box again to rummage through it. "Well, your clothes are all arranged now. All that's left are the things inside your room. You sure you hadn't forgotten something?"

"Yep, I'm all good." I stand, but the floor began to spin and my vision darkened and before I could even realized what's happening, I already collapsed on the hard floor. Aoi was fast as he came to my rescue.

"Misaki, are you okay?!" he asks in such a strangled voice.

I nodded glumly. "Yeah. Just got a bit dizzy. Maybe it's because I haven't eaten breakfast yet. Can we stop by some diner first before we head off at Takumi's place?" 

"Yeah, but are you sure?" he scratched his head and he looked really jittery with the way he was kneeling before me. "Maybe it'd be better if we were to check the doctor."

I dismissed his comment. "No doctors." I say determinedly. "Come on and help me up." He did helped me up and volunteered to get my things upstairs while I conditioned myself by the dining I'd soon leave. I was on that position when I heard the sound of car engines being cut off in front of my house. I glanced up at the stairs. "Aoi, hurry up, Takumi's already here." I screamed at him before I got up on my feet, considering whether I could now stand on my own and when I was certain I'm good, I walked towards the living room… until my eyes fatefully darted towards the television that broadcasts the scenes the CCTV's outside are recording that I get to see such a familiar dark grey car I so recognized gravely.

A man emerged out of it and out revealed Igarashi Tora who was wearing all black attire as if he'd be celebrating a funeral soon. I didn't know what hit me but before he could even get to the door, I made a mad dash towards it and put on the safety locks before scurrying away from it. My heart tense when the knob twisted the slightest but refused to open since I've already locked it from the inside. He tried again but it was futile effort.

I let out a startled scream when he, instead, slammed his body against it to get inside. And without much thought, I made a run towards the stairs in time to see Aoi about to get down.

He grinned at me. "Well, come on—"

"No! No." I tried to control the shaking on my voice. "Aoi, no. We should not get outside. Igarashi… I-Igarashi is outside!"

"What!?" he set aside the box he was holding before jumping towards me and walking towards the hallway to get a glimpse of the scene outside my house. I followed him and gasped when I saw him—Igarashi—pull out a gun and aimed it on the knob to blast it open. Aoi was fast as he charged towards me and dragged me upstairs. "Come on, hurry!"

I followed him and together we locked ourselves inside my bedroom. He fumbled with his phone and dialed someone up. "Hello, Takumi, its Aoi—no, this isn't the time for you to get mad—" he cursed when he got interrupted again. "Igarashi Tora is inside the house! Misaki and I are in the bedroom hiding! Get your fucking ass—"

I screamed when I heard gunshots downstairs and all the more had it made Aoi panicked. "Just get in here as fast as you can, okay?! We'll figure things out. I'll call you again." he cut the call and turns back to me, pulling me out of the doorway while looking around the room as if he was searching for something. "Quick, get the beddings. We'll get out through the window."

I followed his instructions until I remembered that I hid a gun in my desk drawer for safety reasons the night Takumi came here and found out the truth about my identity. I threw off the bed sheet to Aoi and dashed towards the drawer to pull out the pistol Gerard gave me.

Aoi gasped. "What are you—give it to me." He got it and checks out whether it's loaded before nodding at me. "Come on, we need to hurry before he gets here." But before we could do as much as jumped off the window, the knob of my bedroom door got destroyed as Igarashi blasted his way inside my room. Startled, Aoi aimed the gun on him and shoots. "Misaki, down!"

I collapsed on the floor, searching for anything while Igarashi was rendered immobile until I saw my deadly Loubotin shoes with the killer pointed heels. I snatched it from underneath my bed and make do of it as my own personal weapon.

Igarashi was laughing as he blockaded our only means of escape. "You really think you could get out of this house alive, Aoi? Then, think again, I'd kill all of you." He locked his crazed eyes on me. "You, especially."

"Bastard."

He aimed his gun on me, but Aoi was fast too as he aimed his gun on Igarashi too. "Gun down, Igarashi, or I'll shoot you! I swear, I'll shoot you!" I glanced at Aoi and it was very visible that he was trembling. Igarashi laughed again, and before I could even stop myself from screaming, He had directed his gun towards Aoi and pulled hard on the trigger.

I screamed, deafened by the two loud gunshots that nearly wretched my eardrums off before I darted an alarmed glance over at Aoi's. He was already nowhere to be found. I peek through underneath the bed in time to see him sprawled on the floor and blood coming off from where he was hit.

"No, Aoi!" I didn't care what is to happen anymore as I jumped over the bed and onto him and tried to stop the bleeding on the corner of his temple. My hands shook and it was the most terrible thing I've seen my entire life. I got the bed sheet that we are supposed to used to escape and pressed it on his head to keep him from getting into shock. Even so, Aoi still lay unconscious. "No, Aoi, no! No! You can't… ugh! You can't do this, you bastard, okay? You can't do this!" I screamed at him. "Not to me, not to me, not to me! Not to me, Aoi! You can't do this to me, Aoi!"

Still, there weren't any response. I bit my lip, trying harder on the pressure on his head before putting my fingers over his pulse. _Please, wake up, Aoi. Don't do this to me. Let's figure a way to get out of this together, please. Please! _

I gasped when I heard Igarashi groan and despite my knowledge about self-defense, I got completely covered in extreme fear at the mere thought that Aoi could have died because of me—and that is enough to render me immobile, useless and definitely vulnerable and terrified. All reasons escape me as I focused only on the person I deeply care about. I love Aoi. He wasn't supposed to die.

_Aoi, please… please… please, wake up, dammit._

"Hmm, if it wasn't someone who was the impostor of Maria Miyazono." I froze upon hearing that voice but somehow, I couldn't feel the fear anymore. I was just too numb from what had happened and what is about to happen. Aoi died. He died because of me. I screw this all up.

Damn.

Angrily, I glared up at Igarashi. There was blood on his temple and it was so obvious he got the same hit as Aoi's but only lighter. Real damned. "You should not have killed him. Aoi's got nothing to do with this."

Igarashi grinned while wiping blood dripping on his eye—obviously, he wasn't comfortable by it either. "Oh, is that so? Well, I fear that whoever it was that associates themselves with you, then, they have everything to do with this." He smiled at me but I didn't return it. "Who knew that weak Walker heir could actually transform a previous trash into something useful—you've really changed, Ayuzawa. Thanks to your fiance's familial money, you were able to look like a human."

I looked away from him and into Aoi and tries to stop his bleeding again. _Aoi, please… wake up. Wake up, dammit… please. Takumi… please… help me._

"Takumi is one lucky bastard, don't you think?"

"Don't compare him to your level." I mumbled under my breath, avoiding to sound shaky even if my whole body is trembling. I glared up at him sharply. "Because the man I've always loved is nothing and nowhere near your rotten personality."

The mocking expression disappeared and instead, it was replaced by bitterness—fierce bitterness—anger, rejection and hatred. "Why?" he said. "WHY? WHY? WHY?! I've loved you better than him, Ayuzawa!" he was now screaming and smashing things around. My eyes rounded when he charged forward me and drag me up violently, shaking my shoulders on the process. "I was an even better man than him, was I not? I'm equally successful, and my birth secrets are not humiliating. Why him! Why him? WHY HIM?!"

"Let me go!" I screamed as I pushed him off and without thinking, slapped him as hard as I could that he stumbled backwards and crashed down on the floor, dragging my vase with him. I was left there standing, utterly shocked. And suddenly, the feeling of pity overwhelmed me as I watched him sit up and clutched his head as if he was suffering from a headache. "Igarashi…kun."

He shakes his head. "All I've ever wanted is for you to love me and look at me the way you does on Takumi." He suddenly said, which had totally caught me off guard. "I know you loved him more than you had loved me, Misaki. So when he left for England, I was so happy because I could finally have my chance with you. I was dreaming of building a happy family with you, you know—a family I never once had." He smirked, and it was a bitter smirk. "I've always been a lonely person—Takumi, especially, what with him being the son of the person his Mom was having an illegal affair with. He was an unsatisfied person… until you came."

My heart swelled when he looked up at me with such a broken hearted expression. My knees buckled and I collapsed on the floor, sitting across him. "Tora…"

Once again, he shakes his head. "Takumi became happier when he met you. You were like sunshine—our very own personal sunshine. And even before I have been properly introduced to you, I was already in love with you." He looked down on the gun he was holding. "But your eyes always follows him, the same way he does. He wasn't aware at it at first, but I know he would gradually realized it that I was in love with you. I wonder what made him happy. I was in love with you but I was unhappy… what are you doing at him to make him smile even if there weren't any particular reason but only the mere fact that you were always crossing his mind. You cross my mind too—probably a million times than him—but why am I still unhappy?"

"Tora… I'm sorry."

"I've loved you, Ayuzawa." He said, and his voice starts to get louder again, as if he was losing it. He held on his gun tightly and that had seriously scared the hell out of me. "I've only wanted you to love me. I WANTED YOU TO LOVE ME! But you can't. And even if we're both together, your mind was never with me because it drifts off towards him—towards that Takumi!" his tone became alarmingly accusing. "You made me like this, you made me like this, you made me like this!" his half-crazed eyes darted over my shoulders and I noticed he was staring at Aoi's still unconscious figure. "Now, look at me, Ayuzawa. LOOK AT ME! I KILLED AOI! I became a murderer because you have refused to return the love I've been continually giving on you ever since we first met!"

"Igarashi—"

He screamed, and I got even more terrified because he looks as if he was really losing it. Igarashi isn't a bad guy… he needed medical attention. "I killed Aoi… I killed Aoi… I killed Misaki…" and then he snapped his eyes on me. "That's right… two years before… it started two years ago… that bloody play we all engaged ourselves into—you, me, Takumi and Sakura."

My forehead creased, and I felt my blood run out cold. "What?"

"I killed you… yes, I brought you to the ocean knowing full well that you can't swim. Yes, the ocean. It was dreadful. It frightened me. You didn't know how scared I was after I killed you—no, I didn't kill you. Ayuzawa, I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it!" he was instantly before me that the only thing I could do is whimper. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he hugged me fiercely, trapping me inside his steel arms while his body trembled. "Ayuzawa, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry! Please, please, don't kill me! Please!"

I winced when his grip turned tighter. "Ig-Igarashi, you're hurting me—"

"No! NO! I'm sorry!" he scurried away from me and I so much wanted to help him but I couldn't because the person he fears most is none than myself. He shuddered even more when he caught the sight of blood in his hands before staring back at Aoi again. "I killed Aoi… I killed Aoi… no!" he startled me when he suddenly stood and made a dash out of my room.

"Igarashi, wait—"

"M-M-Misak…i." I halted before quickly spinning around and dashed towards Aoi to aid him.

"Aoi, oh, God! Oh, thank God! I t-thought you were… oh, my God, I… I-I… I—"

"Tora…" he whispered with his eyelids fluttering open. "—y-you must fo…llow… him. Must follow… Tora. He… he needs he…lp."

I instantly got confused. "But… But Aoi, you're injured. You needed to get to the doctor—"

"I'll wait here… on you… alive." He interrupts me again. "Please… please," a tear escaped his eyes as he whispered the last word. "—follow him… for me… and for you and Tak…umi to finally forgive each… oth-er."

I held his hand tightly, torn between the right thing to do and what he wants me to. But I couldn't simply ignore his demand—his wish—that, after uttering an apology, I unclasped our hands and followed suit after the man I once loved—even if it meant nothing but an empty love. And as I run, I started to remember the past—our meaningful past—that started it all.

But somehow, I couldn't remember any wonderful memory about it. It was a suffocating experience… it had suffocated me to the point that I nearly got myself killed. I couldn't feel any love coming from Igarashi because what he wanted to do was only to possess me. He loved me in his own way—but it had smothered me. I was asphyxiated. I was strangled. With Igarashi around, I felt damn garroted. There wasn't any more room for me to breathe because he wanted me to love him more and more as if what I'm doing isn't enough. He wanted me to give him the kind of love I know in myself I wasn't capable of giving him.

Part of me keeps on saying that it was my fault. Because indeed, he was right. He turned out to be like this kind of destructive existence because of me. I was the one who made him like that. I, myself, suffocated him from a kind of existence that made him unable to move forward. I didn't set him free because I bounded him with me when Takumi left. He nursed me, but all I did is maltreat him emotionally. It was my fault.

It was all my damn fault.

"Igarashi, no!"

Igarashi gasped and quickly backs away from me, gun in hand. Bewildered, he shakes his head. "No, no… NO! Don't go anywhere near me. STAY AWAY!"

I raised both hands to assure him that I mean him no harm. "Please, please don't be like this. Please, Aoi hates it when he sees you like that. He's alive. I assure you that he's alive. He wanted to see you. He forgives you. I forgive you—we all do." I took a step forward and froze midway when I saw a flash of brownish blond running past trees and shrubs with accurate speed. I went on with what I'm saying. "Igarashi, please… stop all these immediately. You're going to kill me with anxiety. So, please… I don't want to see you like this."

But he still refused to believe me. "No… no… you made me like this. You made me like this, Ayuzawa. I became like this because of you!" I took a step back when he directed his gun on me. "Stay away!"

But to my intense surprise, Takumi suddenly jumped out of nowhere and landed right straight on Igarashi which had surprised him entirely so. They fell on the ground and I feared for both safety since both of them are near the edge of a cliff and there was a risk that they might fall off into the edge and right straight on the ocean below. Despite his mentally unwell state, Igarashi still had the strength to fight against Takumi. But the latter was stronger since he wasn't as injured as Igarashi. He punched the gun off his hand and aimed his fist on Igarashi's face that adjudicated him motionless for a moment. He got the gun on the ground, and punched Igarashi one more time to put him into sleep before he secured the gun on his pants and got off him.

In spite the trembling of my knees, I was able to run towards him to hug him tightly. "Takumi!" I cried, pulling him into the fragile safety of my embrace as tears gushed out of my eyes. "Oh, God! Thank God you're safe—" I started to sob but Takumi just laughed it off and caresses my back as if to assure me that everything's gonna be okay now.

"Stop crying. Everything's over now." He pulled me tighter against his body. "It's over. It's fine now, baby. Stop crying." I snuggled against him for comfort, floundering in my own cowardice and starts kissing his neck. God, God knows how much I love this man. Takumi laughed. "I love you, so, stop crying now."

I nodded but even so, my tears still continued to gush out of my eyes as if there was still many a reason for me to cry. Well, there are indeed too many reasons for me to cry. Because for one, this unending battle has finally generalized its conclusion.

"Indeed, if you wouldn't belong to me… then it'd be better if you won't belong to anyone at all." My body stilled upon hearing Igarashi's voice and before I could even realized what's happening, I got pushed down the ground and next thing I know, blood bloomed out of Takumi's shirt right atop his chest. My body turned numb, so do my eyes, as two sounds of gunshot echoed all over the forest. My ears shut close from what I've heard and my eyes reject what I've seen as I watched Takumi collapsed on the ground. My hands trembled, my knees quivered and my breathing became ragged as I crawled towards him and got his head on my lap. Next to him lay Tora with a gun wound planted right straight on his forehead. Whoever had did that to kill him to end his fucking misery, I couldn't have the presence of mind to check out anymore. All I know is that someone needed my help—my assistance… my love.

"Takumi… no… no." I shake my head, feeling that suffocating and burning feeling blocking the passageway where my oxygen was supposed to pass, making it harder—even harder—for me to breathe. I couldn't cry because it felt as if I have cried too many times now and that tears couldn't push through my tear ducts anymore—abandoning me in the process. "No… please, please… not you too… please… I've lost enough… please!"

He cough and blood sputtered out of his mouth when he tried to speak. I clenched my fist tightly, shaking my head furiously, not daring to dwell for even a single moment about that kind of idea. My heart went all out on him when he lifted his hand to touch my face—as if he was trying to memorize it. "Ayuzawa…"

"No… don't. Don't! Don't… please don't say goodbye so easily." I couldn't breathe. I know it was coming and I couldn't stop this fucking suffocating feeling that doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon. "Stop… stop… stop! Stop that!"

Takumi smiled but it was a bitter smile that made it even harder for me to breathe. He was making all these difficult. He wasn't supposed to be like this. He wasn't supposed to give up. He wasn't supposed to say goodbye this easily. He got my hand and kisses the ring that bears the finger. "Will you smile for me?"

I bit my lip and tried to force out a smile while crying my eyes out. I didn't know how it happened but all I know is that, somehow, my senses and pain receptors started to work properly again.

Takumi coughed out such a bloody laugh. "What…ever happens… you do know that I love you, right?"

I couldn't explain it. But certainly, I was aware of this fucking suffocating feeling that is pressed hard against my chest, making the fucking breathing of my heart damn tired and weakened. "Please… _please… _stop this already. How could you leave me like this? Not me, okay?! Don't leave me, you bastard." He sighed, and it was a suffering sigh and thoughtlessly, I placed down my hand—the one with the ring—over his bleeding chest where his beating heart—now starting to slow down—was intact. "I can't do this… Takumi… I won't take it. I won't take it!"

"Don't… cry… love." He whispered and holds my hand tightly. "If there was… such a thing that I've regretted… it was the fact that I was unable to be there beside you while you were drowning—or while you were calling out my name. I haven't properly apologized to you, Ayuzawa… I'm sorry—"

"It's nothing. Forget about it already." I winced as my heart turned another layer number. My hands shook as I held his and repeatedly kiss it. "Please… Takumi… it was never your fault." I pressed my forehead against his hand. "I love you."

"I know that already." Another cough and more blood escape his mouth. I tightened my grip on his hand. "Look at me." and as I did, he suddenly grabbed me by the back of my head and kissed me tenderly it was almost hard to pull away. He kissed my cheek and then my fingers and then my stomach before pulling my head again to whisper something in my ear. Everything happened so fast, and before I could even fully accept everything, he was just gone.

This time, my biasness had spun around and stab me on the back.

Because of my return for a hell bent kind of revenge, I have sacrificed many lives without even thinking if I, myself, had done something too that caused these people to loathe me.

The game is indeed over. And it had cost me the life of someone I deeply care about.

.

_She's a splash of secret splendor and seduction.__  
><em>_Plunge yourself in her abstract of lines—her tangles of vines.__  
><em>_Be allured, be enticed... She's a queen of complication, __  
><em>_a poisonous beauty hidden under the webs of pretensions._

_._

'_Cause there'd be no sunlight if I lose you, baby._

_There'd be no clear skies if I lose you, baby._

_And just like the clouds, my eyes would do the same._

_If you walked away everyday it will rain, rain, rain. _

At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled. ~**Marshall B. Rosenberg**

**This is the last chapter of BIAS**.

Well, not really. This would serve as the **unofficial last chapter** since the arriving segment would be the epilogue after the accident at Misaki's place. After the **EPILOGUE** is written, it will serve as the **conclusion** of BIAS.

Anyhow, it's been a strenuous journey filled with nothing but revenge and cold heartedness. Over the years—the past two years—I've noticed that my writing style has changed and slightly improved due to comments and PMs I've been receiving about the recent stories I uploaded. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed our journey together to **finish Bias** and I hope you weren't disappointed of how things ended.

The generalization will be posted as soon as I'm finish writing it and well, I hope you'd like it.

Bias is solely dedicated to all of you, my dear readers, who had the patience to read my story despite the very late updates, absurd use of syntaxes at times and occasionally, the nonsensical contents of it. Thank you for supporting me on this and I hope you'd also support me on the stories I'd post in the future.

**Thank you for reading this note.**

**As always, do tell me what you think—**and please don't kill me for actually ending it with such a cliffhanger after such an overwrought and highly emotional scene.I was surprised at how things ended too but well, it was the original plan ever since I've started writing it so, please go easy on me.

**Don't wish for my death either.** :D

S

—_in and out_—

**Andy**


	10. Chapter 10: Epilogue

**Disclaimers:**Whatever, haters.

**A/N:** I have read the reviews and well, all I can say is that, really, I was laughing my ass out while reading them. Your reviews were probably the craziest and most emotional comments I've ever read ever since I've started writing here in FFN. It was funny and definitely expressive and you've made me realized just how much of a sucker of a writer I actually am because I made you all disappointed by the ending. But don't worry; it isn't like I've taken them all negatively. In fact, it made me happy knowing that you're all responsive of my story and that you actually understand it—since I've always had poor confidence on my English aptitude.

This isn't the best ending, I know. And it probably made some people—a lot of people—want to badly kill me for actually killing—again—the male protagonist—I don't know, I just have a thing for deaths and all those whatnots. But really, by having these kind of ending, it only meant that not all endings end happily. There would always be the tragic ones, the ones where one of them has to cry because the other party left. This world is unfair. Not everybody gets to have their own happy ending. But really, once the pain is over, and once its time to let go, you'd realized that all the pain you've experienced while you were going through the torturing stage of suffering would seemed like nothing but a challenge of life once you have reunited with that special person you're grieving for. Life is a challenge, and whatever the outcome may be—be it a good one or a heartbreaking one—you should accept it because another happy ending awaits you.

I hope you would still like this story even if it had such a disappointing ending. And also, I hope you weren't wishing—and hoping—to kill me… though I'm quite certain a few of you really wanted to do that ever since I've posted the previous chapter.

And despite wanting to murder me with your bare—bear—hands, do tell me what you think of the EPILOGUE.

PP.

_**Note:**_ _Italic _words represents conversations from the past.

**Summary:**With unexpected serpentines, an old love story that was tested by fate, revenge and at the same time prejudice, will the truth behind the lie still prevail?

-;-

**Bias**

**Is once again dedicated to:**

All my fan fiction readers

To: Guileene, Coline and Mama

-;-

She's a splash of secret splendor and seduction.  
>Plunge yourself in her abstract of lines—her tangles of vines.<br>Be allured, be enticed... She's a queen of complication,  
>a poisonous beauty hidden under the webs of pretensions.<p>

-;-

Go on and try to tear me down  
>I will be rising from the ground<br>Like a skyscraper  
>Like a skyscraper<p>

-;-

**Goodbye is another epilogue of a new beginning. **

This is for Diamyca Carmen, Gladys Vargas, Patricia Atienza, Kenneth Flores, Monina Santos and Milleth Corpuz. Despite the distance, I know faith would still bring all of us together. Good luck on our 2nd semester!

_At the core of all anger is a need that is not being fulfilled__.__**~Marshall B. Rosenberg**_

**Ten: **An Epilogue

"_Congratulations Ayuzawa-san, you're four weeks pregnant."_

_A woman's heart is an ocean full of secrets_, that's what my Mom used to tell me when I was no more than a kid. At first, I couldn't understand it. It was the kind of deep words that are just enough to either make my nose bleed or make me stare at her as if she grew out another head. Mother is weird, I'm telling you. Despite our very huge age gap, sometimes, I'd wonder if I should really be the one who was supposed to act out the mother role. She tells us different things I couldn't understand but, thankfully enough, she doesn't seem to expect either that we should comprehend all her rhetoric words. Suzuna and I would often listen to her once she starts blabbering things again like happy endings and unhappy endings after she's finished reading us a bedtime story.

Back then; I couldn't understand any of it. But as I grow older, I started to think that somehow, her words indeed make awful sense.

There are many kinds of endings in the world. And I could very much assure you that no love story is the same—or probably possesses that same kind of element that just makes a listener—or a reader—go squiggly on her chair. There will always be some kind of difference. Like in food, you'd always find that special element that would make a story a lot different from the previous ones one has read. But I'm certain that no matter how evil a person may be because of love, that person still deserves a happy ending.

And thankfully enough, after he had finish rehabilitation and got over me, Igarashi Tora voluntarily faced the consequences of his actions and, after he got out of jail, he found someone who was bale to love in a way I was never able to give him. He had a happy ending of his own. He moved away to States after that were they married and had eventually lived a blessed life blessed with gifted children of their own. It was a great journey for him—our past experience, I mean—and sometimes, he'd send me letters and holiday cards and checks out how I was doing once in a while. Once again, Igarashi became a good acquaintance of mine. But other than that, there was nothing else between us. And I was thankful that I need not to see him apart from the usual congregations that would be unavoidable enough to meet with each other.

Sakura was also doing better. From what I last heard, she flew off to France to start a high-profile career in fashion designing and is now making a name of her own. Two years after her departure, she became one of the most famous fashion designers in the said country. She drops by from time to time and has invited me to attend her wedding that was held in France. She even volunteered to design my long gown and asked my help during the wedding preparation probably to keep me from getting bored in France. I couldn't be anymore thankful for what she has done.

Aoi? Hmm, I wonder what happened with Aoi. Kidding. Aoi has also started his own career as a fashion designer and has met a woman five years older than him whom he started dating. At first, everybody thought he was just fooling around. But then, he started to get serious with her which had shocked everybody since that guy is the senile type of kid—he could really be problematic at times during the time we lived together and I wanted to do nothing but kick him out since he was giving me headaches. Eventually, when he and Honoka—her fiancé—decided to live together, he moved out of my pad and bought a pad of his own so they could be together. They finally rang the wedding bells after three months of living in.

From time to time, Aoi would visit me too. He drops by sometimes to invite me out for dinner with his family—can't believe that prick had actually grown up and became such an outstanding and responsible father to his kids, husband to his wife and a citizen of our country. As of now, he enjoys cruising with his wife after his kids got married one after the other.

Gerard is a wee little thing. And sometimes, he was such a pest too. Aside from the fact that he was betrothed to someone whom at first he didn't seem to love—and even went as far as asking Aoi to pretend as a woman and his girlfriend—he finally settled down with the same woman whom he had once bullied and had loved her with such irrational obsession it was almost annoying. But I was happy he finally gets to be in love again after his heartache due to Maria's death.

So, everyone had indeed moved on. And I'm better enough to say that I've moved on too and that what had happened in the past had serve as a good lesson for me. Usui Takumi had saved me. And there was nothing else that can be compared with his love for me to the point that he was ready to forfeit his own life just so I could be saved. He had saved me in all ways possible—I couldn't be anymore thankful.

The picture in my hand held a thousand memories that also holds within them varying emotions that, even as I get older, seemed to intensify and continues to stick into my memories. I was happy it never faded away. I was happy it stayed. Because whenever I'm alone, I'd imagine him with me. I was seated on my bed and he was seated right next to me and together in silence, we would stare at our picture that had held all the love I could muster every single day of my existence. I have lived such a wonderful life and I was thankful I get to experience a lot of things and feel billions of emotions. Of course, it was miserable due all the things and people I've lost—and nearly lost. But by the end of the day, it is one thing to realize that not every story has a perfect ending. Because if there was such a story that exists, then, it's nothing but the kind of love filled with nothing but fraud and emptiness.

_Don't cry because it's over. Cry because it happened. _That was a famous saying. And I have learned to listen well on encouraging messages like that because, if I don't, then there would be nothing left for me but endless misery—and I never wanted to live my life miserable. He had a last hope before he disappeared. And I don't want to see him disappointed once we've seen each other again just because I was unable to fulfill the thing he had always wanted me to do ever since we first met.

I stared out into the open floor-to-ceiling windows and watched as the warm ray of the morning sun gently caressed the wild flowers scattered along the part of the beach that wasn't sandy. Warm air blew on the little floras and it swayed in accordance to the beat of the wind. I shut my eyes close, hugging the frame closer to my chest, and smiled thoughtlessly as his ethereal face appeared inside my head in a way I could best remember.

The door to my bedroom swung open after a knock I heard faintly and revealed a tall man with the same golden brown—almost blond—locks and familiar emerald green eyes. I smiled at the sight of him—my personal sun that instantly warms me—and stretched out my weak arms, asking for an embrace. "Takumi," I breathed while smiling with such affection.

Takumi sighed, and walks forward me in defeat as he allowed himself to get trap inside my fragile embrace. "How many times do I have to tell you to keep the windows closed? It's bad for your health."

I shook my head, holding the frame to my lap before looking out to the overview again. "Those yellow flowers remind me extremely of you."

Takumi grinned. "I know you dote on me so much but really, there isn't a need to become obsessive of this kind of hobby. It's not like I'm going away." He stared at the frame I held against my as if my life depended on it before averting his forest green eyes on me, which I find so familiar. "You remember how much I like your stories… Mom?"

I smiled. "Yes. When you were a child, you keep on asking me to tell you the story of my two friends who didn't have such a happy ending."

"What are their names again?"

"Takumi and Misaki."

"When I was a kid, it was really weird for me since they've got identical names as you and Dad—and that my name is the same too. Had that Takumi in your story died out of an accident too, I would have already believed that that story is yours and Dad's."

I laughed at him until I heard footsteps running on the hallway and towards my room and out revealed the fraternal twins that are my grandchildren. "Grandma!" Takuma, the eldest of the twin, greets me with such enthusiasm before climbing up my bed to peck me on the cheek. "Misa and I misses you already, Gran!" he says.

"And we're just telling Daddy to allow us to spend the night here." Misa, the youngest, adds conveniently while winking at her elder twin brother. He giggled and hugs me again. "Will you allow us to sleep with you, Gran?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Why, of course, my dear. Why would I dislike it when you two are my sunshine?"

"We bake cookies for you!"

"That must be delicious. Mind if Gran tastes it?"

"Of course!" Misa jumps off my bed to run off again to get the cookies she was talking about, Takuma followed suit.

Beside me, Takumi exhaled. "They are such a handful, Mom. If only their Mom was still alive, maybe someone would look after them much better than the job I'm doing. I don't know how to be a father to them."

I got his hands and held it tightly. "You're already better the way you are. You need not to be saddened, son. You've inherited your skills from your late father."

Takumi smiled, and I couldn't help but be reminded again of that person who smiles the way he does. "You remind me of your father."

"I hope I met him, Mom."

"Look into the mirror, son, and you'd see him living inside you."

He smiled a sad one but immediately allowed it to slip off his face when the twins came barging in again to my room. Takuma stood next to his father while Misa went straight to me to hand over the cookies. She smiled. "Hey Gran, there was a story that Dad tells us about your friends. Is it true that they both have the same name as you and Grandpa?"

I grinned at Takumi who merely shrugged and turns back to Misa. "Yes, that's true indeed. I used to tell that story to your Daddy when he was still a crybaby."

"A crybaby?!" Takuma exclaimed, eyeing his father mischievously. "Daddy, you're a crybaby?"

"Mom is just kidding." With such affection, he forehead flicks his eldest son. "Mom is the crybaby one. She used to cry whenever I'd get home with wounds on my knees after a long day of playing. And she doesn't allow me to go out much because she was so overprotective of me. Sometimes, I wonder if she just wants to waste away my cuteness by locking me inside that huge pad of ours."

I hit him on the knee. "I'm just protecting you because I don't want to lose you the way I've lose your father at such an early stage."

Takumi laughed. "I know, and I'm thankful of that."

Misa started tugging on my hand. "Gran, Gran, I haven't heard the story yet about you and Grandpa. Is it true he died in an accident when both of you are planning to get married?"

Inwardly, I sighed. "Yes, it was true."

"Then, can you please tell us how you met Grandpa Takumi?"

"Hmm…" I thought about it first and secretly smiled at how strong the memories still were despite the fact that many decades had passed already. Back then, I used to fear that I would have forgotten him, and over the years, the only thing I would see once I've tried to remember is a blurry image of him. Thus, I was very thankful that I didn't get to forget him, that only guy who was able to make my heart beat fast as if I've just been to a race. "—Takumi, your grandfather, is a very mischievous person…" I say as memories of our past instantly flashed back into my old brain as if I was watching a recorded video of our history before my eyes.

"_Shizuko, I don't think this is really a good idea." I looked around in panic as we entered that bar she so loves to hang out at after work before allowing my hair to fall in order to hide my face. She tugged harder onto my hand and continues to drag me inside the noisy bar. "If someone sees us here—God, I am so going to kill you! We are teaching in a Catholic school for God's sake!"_

"_If you keep yelling it like that, then we'll really get busted."_

"_Why you—"_

"_Come on, slowpoke!"_

"_Stop pulling me—oof!"_

"Oh, so you met Grandpa in a restaurant." Takuma cogitated in amusement. "How was he like back then? Was he a player?"

"_I'm extremely apologetic, Miss, are you okay?"_

"_Er… yes, you?"_

"_I don't think so."_

_My forehead creased. "Why?"_

"_Because I think, you've stolen my heart from me by simply slamming your lips against my chest."_

I laughed over his question. "Well, I would quite say he tends to get mushy at times. He uses a lot of flowery words that tends to really get into my nerves. Your grandfather is an extremely irritating person. Whatever he wants, he eventually gets it."

"_So, care to tell me your name already?"_

"_Sorry, but I don't really talk to strangers."_

"_Then allow me to introduced myself." He got my hand and starts shaking it in a way it made me uncomfortable. "I'm Usui Takumi."_

"_I'm a teacher. You should really let go of my hand now before I start screaming."_

_He laughed, and somehow, it was able to break a layer of ice covering my heart. "Well, again, I'm Usui Takumi and someday, I wanted to marry you."_

"He seems to be a funny person." Misa commented while nibbling on a cookie. "I hope to meet a person like him too when I get older so I could marry him."

On the recliner chair, Takumi frowned. "Hey, hey, young lady, what marry him crap are you saying? You're still a kid so you can't—"

"Dad, I'm already sixteen."

"And I'm already turning forty three, thank you."

"I'm sixteen too." Takuma added while laughing. "And the one leading the age topic is—"

"One hint about my age and I'm seriously going to hit you, son." I said while grinning at him.

Takuma laughed. "Well, you don't really look like your age, Gran."

"Quiet now, you." Takumi reprimands and pinches his son's elbow. "They seem to want to hear about your friend too, Mom. And since they will be spending the night here, I bet these two idiots would pester you into telling them that story."

I smiled at him. "Don't worry, it isn't like I mind. I love my grandchildren the way I've loved you so I'm gonna tell them that story once they asked for it, right, kids?"

The twins nodded eagerly. "Yes!"

.

"I don't think I'd stay long enough in this world to continually watch over you, son."

"Stop saying that." There was a hint of sadness in Takumi's usually baritone voice. It had broken my heart but I've already faced the fact that I'll be leaving soon—as selfish as it may sound, that I'm actually eager to go. Takumi held my hand with the attached tubes and leans in forward to kiss me on the forehead—a kind of action that instantly reminds me of someone who used to do the same thing. "Don't be like that… Mom."

I shut my eyes closed, taking in the warmth coming from his embraced before staring at the twins already asleep beside me. "You know, I've had a dream about your father awhile ago… and he keeps on telling me he misses me already."

"Ma…"

"I smiled at him. "Takumi, son, I have lived such a long and fulfilled life. I was very happy when I was informed that I'm carrying you inside my body because you are the only proof that your father actually existed in my life. Did you know that I have loved you as much as I thought I was capable of loving anyone else in this world?"

He sighed. "Why are we having this kind of talk, Mom? You know I've hated it whenever you're speaking about goodbye."

I looked out into the open windows beside me. "I don't want to keep him waiting out there anymore, son. Your Dad has been very lonely ever since we parted almost five decades ago."

"Mom…"

I turned back to him. "And beside, I've already fulfilled that wished he'd always wanted me to have: for me to love happily. And I've lived happily, Takumi… I was bale to have you and you've given me wonderful grandchildren. Thank you, son."

He exhaled and sits beside me to hug me again in such a tight embrace. "I love you so much, Mom."

I nodded. "I know that already… son."

_Misaki… live happily… I'll be waiting for you… love._

.

"_Congratulations Ms. Ayuzawa, you're four weeks pregnant."_

_That was the first time I didn't feel so good being congratulated. The helpful doctor explained to me a few more things that my mind couldn't seem to take in and when she was done speaking, I walked out of the clinic and was met by Aoi on the hallway. He was all right—thankfully enough, he wasn't placed in such a fatal condition apart from the blood loss. Aside from the fact that he nearly got a chunk of his head nearly blasted off, he was fine._

_And how I wished, everything is going to be fine too._

"_I'm pregnant." I told him mechanically. But I couldn't feel anything. In fact, the only thing I've felt is that sensation that seems to be making my heart numb and immobile. It feels as if someone was trying to crumple it… and that is, once again, beginning to suffocate me. And God knows how much I wanted to avoid that sensation. Because every time I'm trying to breathe, it just empties my heart with all the painful emotion and fills it up again with the same torturing feelings._

_He smiled the slightest. "Congratulations."_

_The best I could do is nod. "Thank you. Let's go."_

"_Where to?"_

_With blank eyes and an unreadable expression, I said, "To his funeral."_

_People wore different shades of black and white during the funeral. _

_In fact, since it was such a private event, only a few people—close relatives—were allowed to participate. He had a black marble stone set as his tombstone and his name was carved in bold and black letterings. People cried, I stayed silent. And while he was being buried down under the ground, I felt that cold sharp thing pressed against my chest and stomach rendering me breathless and in extreme pain. I thought of going into the hospital again for a checkup. The priest said something—a lesson in life, I think—but again, my mind refused to process all the words he had said. The sobs turned louder and I was surprised myself that he actually had close friends like who would cry so shamelessly like that for him when he had wasted his life like a bastard when he was still alive._

_Because you know, he was already dead._

_When the sermon is over, people placed bouquets on his tombstone before darting apologetic glances on my direction. They apologized, and gave their last condolences, before placing kisses on my cheek and getting into their cars to leave. The annoying thing pressed on my chest and stomach intensified as I continued to watch his tombstone, repeatedly reading the name etched on it. His stepbrothers stayed for another moment and after bidding me farewell, they too went off on their own. I remembered Aoi whispering something on my ear before he too had walked away and entered the car parked a few walking distanced away from my current spot._

_The wind blow but I couldn't feel it anymore. I was shivering, but I was uncertain whether it was due to the wind I couldn't seem to feel scarring my skin or because of some other reasons that tears me up just by thinking about it. I stared at the name again—reading it again and again to my hearts content—and clutches on the bouquet I was holding as if it was some kind of support that would aid me get over this._

_Usui Takumi is just six feet under this freshly fixed soil._

_I shut my eyes closed, calming myself and trying to steady the rapid beating of my heart and when I was certain I was better, I sat in front of his tomb and caressed the engraved letters that spells out his name. _

_It's damn coming…_

_I swallowed that thick lump forming inside my throat and blinked fiercely, ignoring that prickly sensation behind my eyes because I couldn't tell him anymore how… suffocating this feeling was knowing that I couldn't be with him anymore. I was so… I was fucking… I was damn… suffocated… and he couldn't even be of used because he's fucking dead and he had fucking left me all alone to raise our child on my own._

_I blinked fiercely again, imagining myself with him… wondering why I hadn't died too when he died so we could finally be together even in death so we could prove to those fucking lovesick fools that till death do we part is actually a fucking fraud. Because Takumi and I are so deeply connected that even in death, I would be going wherever he goes._

_The prickling sensation intensified, and I felt something warm cascading down to my cheek. "I love you." I was still able to say as I pressed my forehead against the cold marble that was his tombstone. "I love you… I fucking love you. So, why? Why, why, why?" the tears watered his soil… and all I could do is dig it with my own trembling hands until my nails were soiled and all dirtied. But I could care less. He was just lying sick feet under this fucking ground. I could dig all the way until I reach him and beat him until he turns to a bloody pulp so he could fucking realized how… how damn smothered I am because of what he has done to himself. I punched the soft soil, clawing at it until I was able to make a small pit and his flowers are in a state of slight mess. _

"_Come back… come back!" I screamed and punch the hard marble again until my knuckles were swollen and my skin started to break. "You… You stupid… fucking… retarded… perverted outer space human! How could you do this?! I said not on me, did I not? Did I not!" please… come back. I cried sob less cries, unable to forced my throat anymore to produced noise—any kind of noise—because this strangling sensation that really kills me just… just renders everything about me useless. _

_Come back… Takumi._

_And as much as I hated it to happen, my brain began to remember all the things I very much wanted to forget as of the moment. I remembered the first time I met him… that electricity I felt when we first touch… the mystery in his eyes that seems to be pulling me in… every soft caresses… every affectionate words… every gentle whispers… every sensual kiss… I began to remember everything. I remember whenever he tells me he loves me as if it was a secret that only the two of us are allowed to know. I remember all the promises… the flowers… the sneaking inside my house and all our other secret rendezvouses that adds color into the world only the two of us is aware of. I remember the feeling of being able to tell him that I love him… that he is mine the way I am his. I remember the times I will exposed myself to him—every thoughts and emotions—and felt myself suffocate even more because I couldn't tell him anymore that this moment right now is killing me. _

_It's killing me... because with him gone… there's just nowhere else for me to go. It's like I became an empty shell… and there was nothing left in me anymore because he has taken them all with him to his grave. _

_Please… come back. _

_I pressed my self on the cold asphalt and felt the soft soil catching my face as I curled in my stomach to try to close in that wrecking and destructive emotion that rips me apart. I hold onto myself, trying to stay insane, as tears continued to water the soil that was the only thing that keeps both of us separate. My other shoe was off, my hair is in a mess and I was covered in nothing but soil but I could care less. I wanted to be in the place where he was. I wanted to be in the same page as him. I don't want to continue living when it would only mean living alone without his usual goofy attitude that keeps my days complete. _

"_Takumi…" the wind blown against my skin and it sounded like a miserable sigh in my ears—his miserable sigh—and all I could do is cry my eyes out because if I continue to hide these… suffocating feelings inside my smothered heart, then, it would be another reason for my sanity to snap. "Takumi… please… please… I love you so much."_

_Ayuzawa… I'll wait for you… okay?_

_Rain started to fall, and I remained rooted on the ground until I heard the sound of engines coming my way. There were loud footsteps until I felt cold hands pulling me up by the elbow while I was crying continually before I got pulled in to an embrace inside Aoi's arms. He was sobbing and I was sobbing and from behind him, I could hear Gerard crying too with Cedric next to him. He walked towards us and placed the umbrella over Aoi and I and looks away wearing such a poker expression._

'_Ayuzawa… I'll wait for you… okay?'_

_Takumi… I love you._

_._

_Misaki…_

I stirred awake; startled by the reminiscence of a dream before I slowly snapped my eyes open and look out into the people sharing the bed with me. Since it was an emperor-sized bed, Misa was sandwiched in between Takumi and Takuma while I lay beside my son who was gently holding my hand. I smiled at him, scrutinizing his face carefully before caressing his tousled brownish blond hair that extremely reminds me of a certain someone who was the current content of my dream tonight—again. I leaned forward and place a light kiss on Takumi's forehead before I got off the bed and carefully drapes the blanket on all three of them. I got my robe to brace me from the coldness of the evening wind before looking out into the open floor-to-ceiling windows of my bedroom.

"Takumi…" I whispered, and I felt myself turned lighter as if I was being lifted up in midair.

It was a rough journey for me, I wouldn't deny that. But I wouldn't deny either that what happened in the past served as a lesson that not everyone has a happy ending—but definitely, it exists. Because if it wasn't a happy ending, then it only means that it wasn't the ending yet, because another beautiful conclusion awaits that very person by the end of all misery and suffering.

Nobody else knew that a man named Usui Takumi actually existed. His death remained a secret to the world, his disappearance is something that no one was able to answer—and thankfully enough, those people who are aware of what had truly happened kept their mouths shut to keep the public from gossiping. But now you know that a man like him does exists, and that he saved me in every possible ways I could be saved… and that he had loved me to the point of forfeiting his own life. A woman's heart is an ocean of secrets, and no one else in this world could understand how much love she could give to that person who had saved her countless of times but only herself. A woman is always a perfect original born with a definite mind of her own and whatever circumstances she may experienced, she'd go through it all one by one and would still come out victorious.

Every woman in this world deserves a happy ending, because only a woman is able to understand the mystery of pain and heartache because they are the only ones who suffer it all.

And I was glad I was presented this kind of situation because it had made me stronger. It turned me into a better person and it gave me the impression that revenge isn't always the best thing to do to get even on people who made you suffer. Revenge is the kind of thing that is already left for God to do. Because like the person I have loved with too much passion and commitment, God only wanted us to live our lives happily.

She's a splash of secret splendor and seduction. Plunge yourself in her abstract of lines—her tangles of vines. Be allured, be enticed... She's a queen of complication,  
>a poisonous beauty hidden under the webs of pretensions, that is how Usui Takumi had described me once. And believe me when I say that I did dislike it. But I was thankful that he had said those lines to me, because it made me see clear how bias I've became over the years, believing only the words told on me at the moment of my death. It was such a prejudicial experience, but I never regretted anything, because my biasness… my one-sidedness had mead me to an even greater challenge that defined the essence of my strength as a woman.<p>

I stared at my smooth hands, the dreaded wrinkled skin mysteriously disappearing as I returned back to my fresh youth, another sign that my bias journey is over. I walked past the windows, stepping out into the open space before I inhaled deeply and lifted my hand up to reach for a certain someone… just in time someone caught my hand.

"Misaki…"

It was such a rough journey… but at last, everything has come to an end. No more heartaches, no more unnecessary revenge, no more biasness… no more tragedies. Bias has finally reached its denouement. I was already smiling as I accepted Takumi's hand before he pulled me into him and kissed me on the lips as the new beginning of us being finally together begun. I kissed him back with the same fervor, before leaning away when he kissed my forehead.

"At last," he whispered against the smooth skin of my forehead. "—You finally came."

Usui Takumi and I may not have at first that happy ending everyone—we, especially—have always dreamed of having, but at last, in the final moment of our story, when the situation has finally reached that point that we have to close the curtains of our lives, we were finally together.

It's a rough journey, indeed. But it has finally ended.

The surprise, the smiling faces, the love and definitely towards a happy future… we'd finally have it all.

**... and the rest is still unwritten …**

Thank you very much for reading BIAS. I hope you like the ending I've written. I gave it my all and I was overwhelmed by different emotions as it finally came into its culmination. It might not be the best ending but I hope you all have appreciated it. Continue supporting me on my next stories.

_**Bias, October 24, 2013 10:11 PM.**_

_** Pandemonium Princess, (Andy)**_

—in and out—


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